Modest adjunctive benefit with transcranial magnetic stimulation in medication-resistant depression.
BACKGROUND
Controverted results have been obtained using high frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) as an antidepressant treatment.


METHODS
Forty patients suffering from drug-resistant major depression received ten sessions of HF-rTMS at 90% of the motor threshold on the left prefrontal cortex or sham stimulation, added to their pharmacological treatment, in a randomized double-blind design. In a second open phase, patients still fulfilling criteria of inclusion received ten additional sessions of HF-rTMS at 90 or 110%.


RESULTS
Real, but not sham HF-rTMS, was associated with a significant decrease in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, but only twelve patients decreased more than 50%.


CONCLUSIONS
Left prefrontal HF-rTMS was effectively associated with antidepressant treatment, although the size effect was small.


CONCLUSIONS
Shortage of the sample and control difficulties of the placebo effect.


CONCLUSIONS
Questionable in more than half of the patients studied.
Garcia-Toro
M
M
Complejo Hospitalario GESMA, C/Jesús 40, 07003 Palma de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain. magato@intersalud.es
Mayol
A
A
Arnillas
H
H
Capllonch
I
I
Ibarra
O
O
Crespí
M
M
Micó
J
J
Lafau
O
O
Lafuente
L
L
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004351:Drug Resistance; D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D012886:Skull; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents