title: Facilitative effects of VNS on the motor threshold: implications for its antidepressive mode of action?
abstract: In the present study, the effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on the resting motor threshold (rMT) of patients treated with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation were evaluated. Patients showed a significant decrease in the rMT during VNS-on stimulation. VNS was the only significant factor affecting rMT changes and did not appear to be a static variable. Further studies should focus on the effect of VNS on neural neurogenesis in depressive disorders, and the effects of other treatment options for major depressive disorder on the rMT should also be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany, helge.mueller@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Helge H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reulbach
authors.forename: Juan Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Maler
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sperling
mesh_terms: D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation