title: Double-blind controlled investigation of transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of resistant major depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The efficacy and safety of left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for treating resistant major depression were examined in a double-blind, controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen medication-resistant depressed subjects were randomly assigned to 2 weeks of real or sham rTMS, then permitted up to 4 weeks of real rTMS. Effects on mood, neuropsychological function, EEG, and hearing were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups receiving real and sham rTMS improved in mood significantly over the 2-week double-blind period, but there was no significant difference between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation did not provide significantly greater improvement than did sham treatment. A 4-week course of rTMS, as administered in this study, was safe.
authors.affiliation: Mood Disorders Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, N.S.W., Australia. colleen.loo@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sachdev
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McDarmont
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gandevia
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome