Psychiatrie

Efficacité rTMS DEPRESSION

Bares M, Kopecek M, Novak T, Stopkova P, Sos P, Kozeny J, Brunovsky M, Höschl C. Low frequency (1-Hz), right prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) compared with venlafaxine ER in the treatment of resistant depression: a double-blind, single-centre, randomized study. J Affect Disord. 2009 Nov;118(1-3):94-100.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Previous studies have shown effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of depression. This double-blind study compared efficacy of l Hz rTMS over the right prefrontal dorsolateral cortex with venlafaxine ER in the treatment of resistant depression.

METHODS:

A total of 60 inpatients with depressive disorder (DSM-IV criteria), who previously did not respond to at least one antidepressant treatment, were randomly assigned to 1 Hz rTMS with placebo and venlafaxine ER with sham rTMS for 4 weeks. The primary outcome measure was score change in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). We also used Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and Beck Depressive. Inventory-Short Form (BDI-SF). The response was defined as a >or=50% reduction of MADRS score.

RESULTS:

There were no significant differences between treatment groups in MADRS (p=0.38), BDI-SF (p=0.56) and CGI (p=0.17) scores from baseline to endpoint. Response rates for rTMS (33%) and venlafaxine (39%) as well as remission (MADRS score

LIMITATIONS:

Small sample size. No placebo arm was included for ethical reasons, because both treatments have previously been reported to be more effective than placebo. Relatively short duration of antidepressant treatment.

CONCLUSION:

The findings of this study suggest that, at least in the acute treatment, the right sided rTMS produces clinically relevant reduction of depressive symptomatology in patients with resistant depression comparable to venlafaxine ER. Larger sample sizes are required to confirm these results.


O'Reardon JP, Solvason HB, Janicak PG, Sampson S, Isenberg KE, Nahas Z, McDonald WM, Avery D, Fitzgerald PB, Loo C, Demitrack MA, George MS, Sackeim HA. Efficacy and safety of transcranial magnetic stimulation in the acute treatment of major depression: a multisite randomized controlled trial. Biol Psychiatry. 2007 Dec 1;62(11):1208-16.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

We tested whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is effective and safe in the acute treatment of major depression.

METHODS:

In a double-blind, multisite study, 301 medication-free patients with major depression who had not benefited from prior treatment were randomized to active (n = 155) or sham TMS (n = 146) conditions. Sessions were conducted five times per week with TMS at 10 pulses/sec, 120% of motor threshold, 3000 pulses/session, for 4-6 weeks. Primary outcome was the symptom score change as assessed at week 4 with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Secondary outcomes included changes on the 17- and 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and response and remission rates with the MADRS and HAMD.

RESULTS:

Active TMS was significantly superior to sham TMS on the MADRS at week 4 (with a post hoc correction for inequality in symptom severity between groups at baseline), as well as on the HAMD17 and HAMD24 scales at weeks 4 and 6. Response rates were significantly higher with active TMS on all three scales at weeks 4 and 6. Remission rates were approximately twofold higher with active TMS at week 6 and significant on the MADRS and HAMD24 scales (but not the HAMD17 scale). Active TMS was well tolerated with a low dropout rate for adverse events (4.5%) that were generally mild and limited to transient scalp discomfort or pain.

CONCLUSIONS:

Transcranial magnetic stimulation was effective in treating major depression with minimal side effects reported. It offers clinicians a novel alternative for the treatment of this disorder.

Revue de littérature en français

Brunelin J, Poulet E, Boeuve C, Zeroug-vial H, d'Amato T, Saoud M.

[Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in major depression: a review]. Encephale. 2007 Mar-Apr;33(2):126-34.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

In 1985, Barker et al. showed that it was possible to stimulate both nerves and brain using external magnetic stimulation without significant pain. During the past 10 years, therapeutic effects of repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) have been widely studied in psychiatry and its efficacy has been demonstrated in the treatment of major depressive disorders, particularly as an alternative to electroconvulsivotherapy (ECT). Facing the large range of studies, we found necessary to propose an up-to-date review in French of the methodological and therapeutic variations among them.

METHOD:

Based on an exhaustive consultation of Medline data and the Avery-George-Holtzheimer Database of rTMS Depression-Studies, supplemented by a manual research, only works evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of rTMS on depressive symptoms were retained, excluding all studies exclusively investigating the stimulation parameters or the tolerance as well as case reports.

RESULTS:

Out the 66 available reports we retained 30 studies. After a description of the main results of these 30 studies, several elements of the 66 will be discussed. Open studies demonstrated that short courses rTMS (5 to 10 sessions) produced a decrease in the mean Hamilton Depression Ratting Scale (HDRS) scores, although significant remission of depression in individuals was rare. Most authors had used high frequency rTMS applied to the left Dorso Lateral Prefrontal Cortex (left DLPFC). However, low frequency rTMS applied to the right DLPFC was also followed by significant reduction of HDRS scores. Parallel arm, double blind versus placebo studies are designed to clarify the therapeutic efficacy of rTMS therapy but conclude in contradicting results. Literature data globally confirms a greater efficacy of rTMS compared to placebo (37% responders in the active group vs 20% in the sham). This efficacy could in fact be even greater because the sham procedure is disputable in most studies. Indeed, positioning rTMS coil at 45 or 90 from the scalp may not represent an accurate sham procedure and the use of real sham coil is to be recommended. Only one study has suggested that associating rTMS and ECT could decrease the number of general anesthesia required. Therapeutic efficacy has been shown by either inhibiting the right DLPFC or by stimulating the left DLPFC, although some patients exhibit paradoxical responses. High frequency rTMS (>5 Hz) increases cortical excitability and metabolism, while low-frequency rTMS stimulation ( 1 Hz) has the opposite effect. Other parameters are: relevant: intensity (from 80 to 110% of motor threshold), total number of stimulations (from 120 to 2 000) and total number of rTMS sessions (from 5 to 20). As suggested in most recent studies, higher-intensity pulses, higher number of stimulation or longer treatment courses may be more effective. Greater responsiveness to rTMS may be predicted by several patients' factors, including the absence of psychosis, younger age and previous response to rTMS therapy.

DISCUSSION:

Conclusions on these factors and others, such as the importance of anatomically accurate coil placement and the distance from the coil to the brain, await further investigation. Despite heterogeneity of these reports according to methodology and treatment parameters, the antidepressive properties of rTMS now appear obvious, opening interesting prospects, in particular in the treatment of pharmacoresistant major depressive patients and, we hope, administered as adjuvant therapy in non-resistant depression.

CONCLUSION:

Thus, many questions remain unanswered concerning the optimal stimulation parameters, privileged indications and maintenance sessions. This justifies the development of structured evaluation trials on larger samples.

Article rTMS principe, applications en psychiatrie

Szekely D, Polosan M, Grimaldi I, Buis C, Lhommée E, Bougerol T. [Usefulness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in psychiatric disorders]. Rev Med Interne. 2010 Jul;31(7):508-14.

Abstract

Mental disorders represent a concern for the public health because of their prevalence in the general population. Despite progress in psychopharmacology, 20-30 % of the patients suffering of depressive disorders are responding only partially to different pharmacological and psychological therapeutic strategies. Until recently, the therapeutic alternative in refractory depression was the electroconvulsive therapy. New therapeutic approaches should be therefore explored. In October 2008 repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was approved as an antidepressive monotherapy by the FDA, opening the way to a routine application of this technique, which will supplement the body of our therapeutic armamentarium for mood disorders. We review this new therapeutic approach, which is rapidly developing for treating depression and schizophrenia.


D. Szekely, M. Polosan. Les thérapeutiques non médicamenteuses en psychiatrie. Non-medicinal therapeutics in psychiatry . Annales Médico-Psychologiques 168 (2010) 546–551

Résumé

La résistance thérapeutique aux approches psychopharmacologiques et psychothérapiques est une difficulté fréquente à

laquelle le clinicien est directement confronté, avec une fréquence de 20 et 30 % concernant les troubles dépressifs. D’autres approches thérapeutiques semblent donc incontournables pour optimiser les soins : les psychothérapies structurées telles que la TCC et les TIP ont montré leur efficacité dans les troubles anxieux et dépressifs, les approches psychoéducatives améliorent l’observance dans les pathologies chroniques. Les approches biologiques non médicamenteuses telles que l’électroconvulsivothérapie restent une thérapeutique de référence dans le traitement des troubles de l’humeur et gardent une indication dans les troubles schizophréniques résistants.

Abstract

Resistance to psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic therapies is a frequent difficulty clinicians are confronted to, with a frequency of 20 to 30 % concerning depression disorders. Other therapeutic approaches hence seem unavoidable to optimize treatments: structured psychotherapies such as behavioural and interpersonal therapies have shown their efficiency in anxiety and depression disorders, psychoeducational approaches help better observance in chronic pathologies. Biological and non medicinal approaches such as electroconvulsive therapy are still a therapy of reference for treating mood disorders and remain an indication for resisting schizophrenic disorders.

Mots clés : Dépression ; Electroconvulsivothérapie ; Psychothérapies ; Résistance thérapeutique ; Troubles schizophréniques résistants

Keywords: Depression; Electroconvulsivotherapy; Psychotherapies; Therapeutic resistance

Métaanalyses rTMS Dépression et hallucination

Poulet E, Brunelin J, Bediou B, Bation R, Forgeard L, Dalery J, d'Amato T, Saoud M. Slow transcranial magnetic stimulation can rapidly reduce resistant auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Jan 15;57(2):188-91.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Almost a quarter of patients with schizophrenia present with resistant auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH), a phenomenon that may relate to activation of brain areas underlying speech perception. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at 1 Hz reduces cortical activation, and recent results have shown that 1-Hz left temporoparietal rTMS may reduce AVH. The aim of this study was to replicate recent data and investigate whether low-frequency rTMS with a high total stimulation number delivered in a shorter 5-day block produces similar benefit.

METHODS:

Ten right-handed schizophrenia patients with resistant AVH received 5 days of active rTMS and 5 days of sham rTMS (2,000 stimulations per day at 90% of motor threshold) over the left temporoparietal cortex in a double-blind crossover design. The two weeks of stimulation were separated by a 1-week washout period.

RESULTS:

AVH were robustly improved (56%) by 5 days active rTMS, whereas no variation was observed after sham. Seven patients were responders to active treatment, five of whom maintained improvement for at least 2 months.

CONCLUSIONS:

These data confirm the efficiency of low-frequency rTMS applied to the left temporoparietal cortex, compared with sham stimulation, in reducing resistant AVH. This improvement can be obtained in only 5 days without serious initial adverse events.


Gross M, Nakamura L, Pascual-Leone A, Fregni F. Has repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for depression improved? A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the recent vs. the earlier rTMS studies. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2007 Sep;116(3):165-73.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate whether the recent repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) studies on depression using new parameters of stimulation have shown improved clinical results.

METHOD:

We performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of the rTMS studies on depression published in the past 12 months comparing these results with an earlier meta-analysis that analyzed the results of the initial rTMS studies on depression.

RESULTS:

Using our inclusion criteria, we selected the meta-analysis of Martin [Br J Psychiatry (2003) Vol. 182, 480-491] that included 13 studies (324 patients) and five studies for the recent meta-analysis (274 patients). The pooled effect size (standardized mean difference between pretreatment vs. post-treatment) from the random effects model was -0.76 (95% confidence interval, CI, -1.01 to -0.51). This result was significantly larger than that of the earlier meta-analysis (-0.35, 95% CI -0.66 to -0.04).

CONCLUSION:

Our findings suggest that recent rTMS clinical trials have shown larger antidepressant effects when compared with the earlier studies.


Schutter DJ. Quantitative review of the efficacy of slow-frequency magnetic brain stimulation in major depressive disorder. Psychol Med. 2010 Nov;40(11):1789-95.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Slow-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the frontal cortex has been suggested as a safer and better tolerable alternative to fast-frequency rTMS in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of the present study was to examine the efficacy of slow-frequency rTMS to the frontal cortex in MDD. Method: A literature search was carried out in the databases PubMed and Web of Science in the period between January 1994 and July 2009 with the search terms 'depression' and 'transcranial magnetic stimulation'. Nine double-blind sham-controlled parallel intention-to-treat studies (252 patients) fulfilled inclusion criteria and were entered in a random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS:

The test for heterogeneity was not significant (QT=9.63, p=0.38). An overall weighted moderate mean effect size (d=0.63, 95% confidence interval=0.03-1.24) for active treatment was observed.

CONCLUSIONS:

The findings suggest that slow-frequency rTMS to the frontal cortex is more effective than sham treatment and may be equally effective as fast-frequency rTMS in the treatment of MDD.


Schutter DJ. Antidepressant efficacy of high-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in double-blind sham-controlled designs: a meta-analysis. Psychol Med. 2009 Jan;39(1):65-75.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

For more than a decade high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in search of an alternative treatment for depression. The aim of this study was to provide an update on its clinical efficacy by performing a meta-analysis involving double-blind sham-controlled studies.

METHOD:

A literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed and Web of Science in the period between January 1980 and November 2007 with the search terms 'depression' and 'transcranial magnetic stimulation'. Thirty double-blind sham-controlled parallel studies with 1164 patients comparing the percentage change in depression scores from baseline to endpoint of active versus sham treatment were included. A random effects meta-analysis was performed to investigate the clinical efficacy of fast-frequency rTMS over the left DLPFC in depression.

RESULTS:

The test for heterogeneity was not significant (QT=30.46, p=0.39). A significant overall weighted mean effect size, d=0.39 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25-0.54], for active treatment was observed (z=6.52, p<0.0001). Medication resistance and intensity of rTMS did not play a role in the effect size.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings show that high-frequency rTMS over the left DLPFC is superior to sham in the treatment of depression. The effect size is robust and comparable to at least a subset of commercially available antidepressant drug agents. Current limitations and future prospects are discussed.

Revue rTMS et schizophrénie

Fitzgerald PB, Daskalakis ZJ. A review of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation use in the treatment of schizophrenia. Can J Psychiatry. 2008 Sep;53(9):567-76.

Abstract

Patients with schizophrenia often fail to respond to standard antipsychotic medications or have a partial treatment response. Few treatment options are available for these patients. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was developed and investigated over the last 10 years as a potential treatment option for various psychiatric conditions. Increasingly, studies are focusing on potential applications of rTMS in schizophrenia. To date, most of these studies were symptom-specific rather than focused on the treatment of the disorder in general. The most extensive literature focuses on the use of low-frequency stimulation to attempt to disrupt or reduce the intensity of persistent refractory auditory hallucinations. This research tends to suggest that rTMS could have a role in this subset of patients. There is also preliminary but limited evidence that rTMS could have a role in reducing the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and perhaps in augmenting cognitive function. These findings also highlight the pressing need for further research including multisite studies to confirm the value of these options.

Guidelines techniques de stimulations en psychiatrie

Kennedy SH, Milev R, Giacobbe P, Ramasubbu R, Lam RW, Parikh SV, Patten SB, Ravindran AV; Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT). Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) Clinical guidelines for the management of major depressive disorder in adults. IV. Neurostimulation therapies. J Affect Disord. 2009 Oct;117 Suppl 1:S44-53.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

In 2001, the Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) partnered to produce evidence-based clinical guidelines for the treatment of depressive disorders. A revision of these guidelines was undertaken by CANMAT in 2008-2009 to reflect advances in the field. There is renewed interest in refined approaches to brain stimulation, particularly for treatment resistant major depressive disorder (MDD).

METHODS:

The CANMAT guidelines are based on a question-answer format to enhance accessibility to clinicians. An evidence-based format was used with updated systematic reviews of the literature and recommendations were graded according to Level of Evidence using pre-defined criteria. Lines of Treatment were identified based on criteria that included evidence and expert clinical support. This section on "Neurostimulation Therapies" is one of 5 guidelines articles.

RESULTS:

Among the four forms of neurostimulation reviewed in this section, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has the most extensive evidence, spanning seven decades. Repetitive transcranial magnetic (rTMS) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) have been approved to treat depressed adults in both Canada and the United States with a much smaller evidence base. There is also emerging evidence that deep brain stimulation (DBS) is effective for otherwise treatment resistant depression, but this is an investigational approach in 2009.

LIMITATIONS:

Compared to other modalities for the treatment of MDD, the data based is limited by the relatively small numbers of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and small sample sizes.

CONCLUSIONS:

There is most evidence to support ECT as a first-line treatment under specific circumstances and rTMS as a second-line treatment. Evidence to support VNS is less robust and DBS remains an investigational treatment.

Paramètres de sécurité rTMS toutes indications

Rossi S, Hallett M, Rossini PM, Pascual-Leone A; Safety of TMS Consensus Group.

Collaborators (36). Safety, ethical considerations, and application guidelines for the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation in clinical practice and research. Clin Neurophysiol. 2009 Dec;120(12):2008-39.

Abstract

This article is based on a consensus conference, which took place in Certosa di Pontignano, Siena (Italy) on March 7-9, 2008, intended to update the previous safety guidelines for the application of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in research and clinical settings. Over the past decade the scientific and medical community has had the opportunity to evaluate the safety record of research studies and clinical applications of TMS and repetitive TMS (rTMS). In these years the number of applications of conventional TMS has grown impressively, new paradigms of stimulation have been developed (e.g., patterned repetitive TMS) and technical advances have led to new device designs and to the real-time integration of TMS with electroencephalography (EEG), positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Thousands of healthy subjects and patients with various neurological and psychiatric diseases have undergone TMS allowing a better assessment of relative risks. The occurrence of seizures (i.e., the most serious TMS-related acute adverse effect) has been extremely rare, with most of the few new cases receiving rTMS exceeding previous guidelines, often in patients under treatment with drugs which potentially lower the seizure threshold. The present updated guidelines review issues of risk and safety of conventional TMS protocols, address the undesired effects and risks of emerging TMS interventions, the applications of TMS in patients with implanted electrodes in the central nervous system, and safety aspects of TMS in neuroimaging environments. We cover recommended limits of stimulation parameters and other important precautions, monitoring of subjects, expertise of the rTMS team, and ethical issues. While all the recommendations here are expert based, they utilize published data to the extent possible.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3260536/?tool=pubmed

Lefaucheur JP, André-Obadia N, Poulet E, Devanne H, Haffen E, Londero A, Cretin B, Leroi AM, Radtchenko A, Saba G, Thai-Van H, Litré CF, Vercueil L, Bouhassira D, Ayache SS, Farhat WH, Zouari HG, Mylius V, Nicolier M, Garcia-Larrea L. [French guidelines on the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS): safety and therapeutic indications]. Neurophysiol Clin. 2011 Dec;41(5-6):221-95.

Abstract

During the past decade, a large amount of work on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been performed, including the development of new paradigms of stimulation, the integration of imaging data, and the coupling of TMS techniques with electroencephalography or neuroimaging. These accumulating data being difficult to synthesize, several French scientific societies commissioned a group of experts to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature on TMS. This text contains all the consensual findings of the expert group on the mechanisms of action, safety rules and indications of TMS, including repetitive TMS (rTMS). TMS sessions have been conducted in thousands of healthy subjects or patients with various neurological or psychiatric diseases, allowing a better assessment of risks associated with this technique. The number of reported side effects is extremely low, the most serious complication being the occurrence of seizures. In most reported seizures, the stimulation parameters did not follow the previously published recommendations (Wassermann, 1998) [430] and rTMS was associated to medication that could lower the seizure threshold. Recommendations on the safe use of TMS / rTMS were recently updated (Rossi et al., 2009) [348], establishing new limits for stimulation parameters and fixing the contraindications. The recommendations we propose regarding safety are largely based on this previous report with some modifications. By contrast, the issue of therapeutic indications of rTMS has never been addressed before, the present work being the first attempt of a synthesis and expert consensus on this topic. The use of TMS/rTMS is discussed in the context of chronic pain, movement disorders, stroke, epilepsy, tinnitus and psychiatric disorders. There is already a sufficient level of evidence of published data to retain a therapeutic indication of rTMS in clinical practice (grade A) in chronic neuropathic pain, major depressive episodes, and auditory hallucinations. The number of therapeutic indications of rTMS is expected to increase in coming years, in parallel with the optimisation of stimulation parameters.

TMS et neuronavigation

Schönfeldt-Lecuona C, Grön G, Walter H, Büchler N, Wunderlich A, Spitzer M, Herwig U. Stereotaxic rTMS for the treatment of auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia. Neurophysiol Clin. 2010 Mar;40(1):37-43.

Abstract

Auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia may be due to dysfunctional inner speech-related cortical areas. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been reported to be an effective treatment of hallucinations. In a cross-over sham controlled study, we guided rTMS stereotactically to inner speech-related cortical areas in hallucinating patients. These areas were identified individually prior to rTMS using fMRI in a subgroup of our patients. Active stimulation was applied over Broca's area and over the superior temporal gyrus as determined by fMRI, or according to structural images in the remaining patients. rTMS did not lead to a significant reduction of hallucination severity. Conclusively, rTMS has to be regarded critically as a possible novel tool for the treatment of hallucinations


Schönfeldt-Lecuona C, Lefaucheur JP, Cardenas-Morales L, Wolf RC, Kammer T, Herwig U. The value of neuronavigated rTMS for the treatment of depression. Neurophysiol Clin. 2010 Mar;40(1):37-43.

Abstract

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been increasingly evaluated as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of depression, using various stimulation parameters and protocols. Heterogeneous results have been reported with regard to clinical outcome, at least partly due to the variety of procedures for coil placement above the desired site of stimulation. This article reviews the strategies for coil positioning in the treatment of depression. Considering preliminary clinical evidence, neuronavigated rTMS appears desirable to treat depression, compared to the standard targeting procedure (5cm anterior to the motor cortex). Coil positioning strategy might improve in the future by taking into consideration the individual abnormalities revealed by functional neuroimaging data.


Nauczyciel C, Guibert L, Hellier P, Drapier D, Le Garzic N, Morandi X, Millet B. [TMS and neuronavigation in treatment of depression: a view into the future]. Encephale. 2008 Dec;34(6):625-8.


Fitzgerald PB, Hoy K, McQueen S, Maller JJ, Herring S, Segrave R, Bailey M, Been G, Kulkarni J, Daskalakis ZJ. A randomized trial of rTMS targeted with MRI based neuro-navigation in treatment-resistant depression.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009 Apr;34(5):1255-62.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeted to a specific site in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), with a neuro-navigational method based on structural MRI, would be more effective than rTMS applied using the standard localization technique. Fifty-one patients with treatment-resistant depression were randomized to receive a 3-week course (with a potential 1-week extension) of high-frequency (10 Hz) left-sided rTMS. Thirty trains (5 s duration) were applied daily 5 days per week at 100% of the resting motor threshold. Treatment was targeted with either the standard 5 cm technique (n=27) or using a neuro-navigational approach (n=24). This involved localizing the scalp location that corresponds to a specific site at the junction of Brodmann areas 46 and 9 in the DLPFC based on each individual subject's MRI scan. There was an overall significant reduction in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores over the course of the trial, and a better outcome in the targeted group compared with the standard localization group at 4 weeks (p=0.02). Significant differences were also found on secondary outcome variables. The use of neuro-navigational methods to target a specific DLPFC site appears to enhance response to rTMS treatment in depression. Further research is required to confirm this in larger samples, or to establish whether an alternate method based on surface anatomy, including measurement from motor cortex, can be substituted for the standard 5 cm method. http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v34/n5/full/npp2008233a.html