Pak Wing Calvin Cheng1, Larissa Lok Chi Louie2, Yiu Lung Wong3, Sau Man Corine Wong2, Wing Yin Leung4, Michael A Nitsche5, Wai Chi Chan2. 1. Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: chengpsy@hku.hk. 2. Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. 4. Warrington Hospital, United Kingdom. 5. Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, TU Dortmund University, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to examine the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on clinical symptoms in schizophrenia. METHODS: A literature search was performed for articles published in English using the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, INSPEC, the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature Plus (CINAHL Plus), AMED, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov, EU Clinical Trials Register, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, from their inception to October 2019. The primary outcome variables were the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia including positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and auditory hallucinations. RESULTS: 16 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the meta-analysis, with a sample of 326 patients with active and with 310 sham tDCS. Active tDCS was found to be more effective in improving positive symptoms [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.17; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.001 to 0.33], negative symptoms [SMD = 0.43, 95 % CI 0.11, 0.75] and auditory hallucinations [SMD = 0.36 95 % CI 0.02, 0.70]. Subgroup analyses showed better results in cases of pure diagnosis of schizophrenia, higher frequency and more sessions of stimulation. CONCLUSION: tDCS was effective in improving positive symptoms, negative symptoms and auditory hallucination in schizophrenia. It therefore has potential as a safe and well-tolerated adjunctive intervention for schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to examine the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on clinical symptoms in schizophrenia. METHODS: A literature search was performed for articles published in English using the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, INSPEC, the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature Plus (CINAHL Plus), AMED, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov, EU Clinical Trials Register, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, from their inception to October 2019. The primary outcome variables were the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia including positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and auditory hallucinations. RESULTS: 16 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the meta-analysis, with a sample of 326 patients with active and with 310 sham tDCS. Active tDCS was found to be more effective in improving positive symptoms [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.17; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.001 to 0.33], negative symptoms [SMD = 0.43, 95 % CI 0.11, 0.75] and auditory hallucinations [SMD = 0.36 95 % CI 0.02, 0.70]. Subgroup analyses showed better results in cases of pure diagnosis of schizophrenia, higher frequency and more sessions of stimulation. CONCLUSION: tDCS was effective in improving positive symptoms, negative symptoms and auditory hallucination in schizophrenia. It therefore has potential as a safe and well-tolerated adjunctive intervention for schizophrenia.
Authors: Hyein Cho; Lais B Razza; Lucas Borrione; Marom Bikson; Leigh Charvet; Tracy A Dennis-Tiwary; Andre R Brunoni; Pedro Sudbrack-Oliveira Journal: Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ) Date: 2022-01-25