THE EFFECT OF LOW-FREQUENCY REPETITIVE TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION ASSISTED DRUG IN TREATING FIRST-EPISODE SCHIZOPHRENIA AND ITS EFFECTS ON SERUM HOMOCYSTEINE, BRAIN DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Yi Lu^{1, *}, Jintong Liu², Dongdong Qiao³, Guolin Mi⁴, Guoqiang Ren¹, Wei Wang⁵

¹Department of Physiotherapy, Shandong Mental Health Center, Jinan, PR China - ²Department of Child and Adolescent Psychological Ward, Shandong Mental Health Center, Jinan, PR China - ³Shandong Mental Health Center, Jinan, PR China - ⁴Department of Ward Fifteen, Shandong Mental Health Center, Jinan, PR China - ⁵Department of Ward Six, Shandong Mental Health Center, Jinan, PR China

Objectives: To investigate the effect of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation assisted drug therapy in treating first-episode schizophrenia and its effects on serum homocysteine (Hcy), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and cognitive function. 

Methods: 140 patients with schizophrenia admitted to our hospital between May 2018 and September 2019 were selected for comparative treatment. They were divided into treatment group (70 cases) and control group (70 cases) using the random number method. The patients were given oral risperidone for treatment, and the treatment group was given repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in addition to risperidone. Differences in the clinical efficacy, serum Hcy, BDNF, and cognitive function (i.e. memory, delayed memory, language function) of the two groups of schizophrenia patients were analysed. 

Results: After treatment, the total effective rate was 94.28% in the treatment group and 81.42% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The levels of Hcy in both groups were lower than before treatment, and the above indicators in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of BDNF in the two groups were higher than before treatment, and the above indicators in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of memory, delayed memory, and language function in both groups were higher than before treatment; and the levels in the treatment group were significantly better than those in the control group (P<0.05). 

Conclusions: Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with risperidone could improve the clinical efficacy of treatment, regulate the levels of Hcy and BDNF, and improve cognitive function such as memory, delayed memory, language function, etc., which is worthy of clinical application.