Interest of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Auditory Hallucinations

Auditory hallucinations are common (present in 60-70% of cases) and extremely debilitating. Behavioral disorders associated with them can have serious social repercussions. However, in 25% of cases the usual antipsychotic drug treatments are incompletely or totally ineffective.

Fifteen subjects will be included after collection and signed their informed consent.

The rTMS treatment is made of 4 sessions of 13 minutes spread over two days, at a frequency of 20 Hz and an intensity of 80% of motor threshold at rest. These constants are used to stay below the risk of occurrence of seizures, the only serious side effects identified. Furthermore the rTMS treatment is almost painless: tension headaches are the main side effects and make amends with simple analgesics. rTMS is devoid of neurocognitive effects. The LEFT stimulation site will be established through a anatomofunctional imaging before treatment (between D-7 and D0).

Treatment efficacy will be evaluated daily during treatment (days 1 and 2) and during the first 2 weeks of starting treatment.