Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in posttraumatic stress disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
The efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the right prefrontal cortex was studied in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) under double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with PTSD were randomly assigned to receive rTMS at low frequency (1 Hz) or high frequency (10 Hz) or sham rTMS in a double-blind design. Treatment was administered in 10 daily sessions over 2 weeks. Severity of PTSD, depression, and anxiety were blindly assessed before, during, and after completion of the treatment protocol.


RESULTS
The 10 daily treatments of 10-Hz rTMS at 80% motor threshold over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex had therapeutic effects on PTSD patients. PTSD core symptoms (reexperiencing, avoidance) markedly improved with this treatment. Moreover, high-frequency rTMS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex alleviated anxiety symptoms in PTSD patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This double-blind, controlled trial suggests that in PTSD patients, 10 daily sessions of right dorsolateral prefrontal rTMS at a frequency of 10 Hz have greater therapeutic effects than slow-frequency or sham stimulation.
Ministry of Health Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. hagitc@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Hagit
H
Cohen
Zeev
Z
Kaplan
Moshe
M
Kotler
Irena
I
Kouperman
Regina
R
Moisa
Nimrod
N
Grisaru
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000627:therapeutic use*