Abstract:Objective To investigate the effects of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation on serum prolactin (PRL) level and cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia in order to provide evidence for the treatment of clinical schizophrenia. Methods Totally 200 cases of schizophrenia in Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University were selected as schizophrenia group (test group), and were divided into A group and B group accorded to random number method, 100 cases in each group. Patients in A group were given low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Patients in B group were given high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. At the same time, 100 healthy subjects were selected as control group. The PRL level was determined by radioimmunoassay. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS). Cognitive functions were assessed using a repetitive set of neuropsychological status tests (RBANS). Results Compared with control group, serum PRL levels in test group were increased (P < 0.05),RBANS scores were decreased (P < 0.05), PANSS positive symptoms scores, negative symptom scores and total scores were increased (P < 0.05). Serum PRL levels in patients with schizophrenia were positively correlated with RBANS scores (r = 0.514, P = 0.000), and negatively correlated with PANSS positive symptoms, negative symptom scores and total scores (r = -0.462, -0.501 and 0.487, all P = 0.000). Compared with group A, the difference of serum PRL level, the difference of PANSS score and the difference of PANSS negative symptoms before and after treatment in group B were increased (P < 0.05), and the difference of PANSS positive symptoms in group B was decreased (P < 0.05). Conclusions Compared with low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, the effect of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for schizophrenia reduces serum PRL levels, improves RBANS scores and PANSS-negative symptom scores more significantly, but the improvements of PANSS-positive symptom scores were not as effective as low-frequency repeats.