Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of panic disorder (PD) with comorbid major depression.
BACKGROUND
Studies suggest that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) participates in neural circuitry that is dysregulated in Panic Disorder (PD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). We tested whether low-frequency repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) could normalize the overactivity of right frontal regions and thereby improve symptoms.


METHODS
Six patients with PD and comorbid MDD were treated with daily active 1-Hz rTMS to the right DLPFC for 2 weeks in this open-label trial.


RESULTS
Clinical improvements were apparent as early as the first week of treatment. After the second week, 5/6 of patients showed improvements in panic and anxiety, and 4/6 showed a decrease in depression, with sustained improvement at 6 months of follow-up. Right hemisphere resting motor threshold increased significantly after rTMS.


CONCLUSIONS
Limitations of this study are the open design and the small sample size.


CONCLUSIONS
Slow rTMS to the right DLPFC resulted in significant clinical improvement and reduction of ipsilateral motor cortex excitability. Replications in larger sample will help to clarify the relevance of this preliminary data and to define the potential role of right DLPFC rTMS in panic with major depression.
Mantovani
Antonio
A
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Brain Stimulation and Therapeutic Modulation, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 21, New York, NY 10032, USA. am2518@columbia.edu
Lisanby
Sarah H
SH
Pieraccini
Fulvio
F
Ulivelli
Monica
M
Castrogiovanni
Paolo
P
Rossi
Simone
S
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation