title: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for tinnitus treatment: no enhancement by the dopamine and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor bupropion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the temporal cortex has shown beneficial effects in patients with chronic tinnitus. Recent preclinical data in healthy controls suggest that the effects of low-frequency rTMS can be enhanced by dopaminergic drugs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether application of the dopamine reuptake inhibitor bupropion increases the clinical effects of low-frequency rTMS over the auditory cortex in tinnitus patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen subjects with chronic tinnitus received 10 sessions of 1 Hz rTMS (2000 pulses/day, 110% motor threshold) applied to the left temporal cortex. In addition, these subjects received one dosage of 150 mg bupropion (Wellbutrin XL/Elontril) 4 hours before each TMS session. Treatment outcome was assessed with a tinnitus questionnaire over a 3-month period. Treatment effects were compared with a control group of 100 tinnitus patients matched for age, tinnitus duration, and tinnitus questionnaire baseline scores, who received the same rTMS treatment without prior bupropion application.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the whole sample, there was a significant effect of rTMS treatment over time. There were no significant differences between the bupropion and the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that 150 mg bupropion administration does not enhance the effect of rTMS in the treatment of tinnitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. tobias.kleinjung@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kleinjung
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steffens
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landgrebe
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vielsmeier
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strutz
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hajak
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Langguth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016642:Bupropion / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000628:therapy*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D016642:Bupropion; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine