LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf Hospital of the Heinrich-Heine University ...

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
(rTMS) for the treatment of tinnitus
B. Langguth, G. Hajak, D. P. Eichhammer, M. Landgrebe,
J. Cordes, M. Ramacher, L. Kostorz
Financing: German Research Association (GRA)(HA 3547/4-
1), Alpine Biomed
This is a multi-centred GRA project to evaluate the
therapeutic effect of low-frequency rTMS treatment on
tinnitus in mentally healthy test subjects.
3.1.4 Project groups
3.1.4.1 Evaluation of work-rehabilitation measures
Director: W. Höhl
Scientific assistants: C. Kirchoff, A. Pfeiffer
Project period: 1999–2004
Financing: Federal Ministry for Education and Research
(FMER No: 01 GI 9932)
In the project group “Evaluation of work rehabilitation
measures”, a sub-project with the same name was
performed within the Competence Network on
Schizophrenia. The following external collaborating centres
were included with their own local research groups:
s University Department of Psychiatry and
Psychotherapy, Tübingen, G. Längle (coordinating
centre until 2002)
s University Medical School of Hanover, Social Psychiatry
and Psychotherapy Department, W. Wielant Machleidt
s Central Institute for Mental Health, Bailer, H. J. Salize
s Lower Saxony State Hospital Osnabrück, K. H. Wiedl
The evaluation was directed by the local project group at
the University Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
in Tübingen until the end of 2002 and then transferred
to our project group until its completion. Before this
project, there had been hardly any empirical testing of the
effectiveness of work-related measures. The aim of the
project was, therefore, to evaluate the effectiveness of such
measures, starting from the question of whether, when
performed during the post-acute inpatient treatment phase,
different occupational therapy models have better effects
in terms of occupational capabilities than non-specific
ergotherapeutic measures not oriented towards work life. A
further objective of this project was the investigation of the
two-year rehabilitation process of the study participants.
In addition, groups of participants that take certain
rehabilitation courses were to be identified. To evaluate
inpatient work rehabilitation measures, a total of 227
ReseaRch
patients were enrolled in a 4-week prospective, controlled
study and randomly assigned to one of two interventions:
the study investigated the specific question of whether work
rehabilitation measures show better efficacy in improving
work-relevant capabilities of schizophrenia patients in
the post-acute phase than an ergotherapeutic treatment
that is not oriented towards the world of work. There were
only small changes in occupational capabilities over time
and small differences between the two groups, which
were in favour of the ergotherapeutic intervention. A more
differentiated evaluation employing hierarchical cluster
analysis yielded three subgroups of participants that differed
in their level and course of occupational capabilities. It was
also investigated whether there was a positive correlation
between social and occupational integration of people with
schizophrenia. The results of this project do not support
a transfer of capabilities between these two domains in
people with schizophrenia. The Osnabrück and Düsseldorf
study centres also studied optimised work rehabilitation
measures. The results indicate better efficacy of the
optimised treatment compared with the regular four week
treatment.
3.1.4.2 Early diagnosis of psychotic disorders
Early intervention in early psychotic prodromes
M. Streit, A. Henning, M. Hambrecht, A. Bechdolf, W. Gaebel
Project period: 1999–2003
Financing: Federal Ministry for Education and Research
(Funding 01 GI 9935 to A. Bechdolf, Cologne)
The objective of this multi-centre project within
the Competence Network on Schizophrenia was to
systematically use a multimodal psychological intervention
programme for people with early psychotic prodromes for
whom medical treatment with anti-psychotic drugs had
not (yet) been initiated and to evaluate this target group for
the first time worldwide within the context of a controlled
treatment study. The study participants were randomly
assigned to a treatment group with the intervention
programme and clinical management or a control group
with clinical management only (conventional, low-frequency
advice). The intervention programme included helping
at-risk persons to self-record increased risk, as well as
problem- and symptom-related psychological interventions
for depression and anhedonism, learning problems and
cognitive impairments, social deficiencies, social anxiety and
continuing family conflicts. In order to adequately address
the expected differentiated problem situations of these
groups, different behaviour therapy intervention techniques
111