Articles about rTMS
1) The combination of rTMS and psychological therapy resulted in 66% response and 56% remission at the end of treatment.
2) 1 Hz right or 10 Hz left on the forehead is equally effective
rTMS is also effective in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Low-frequency (1 Hz) stimulation on the supplementary motor area (SMA) offers the greatest effectiveness.The therapeutic effects of rTMS seem to persist for the long-term.
A summary of the (significant) clinical effects of rTMS in patients with several psychiatric and neurological disorders (including depression, pain, fibromyalgia, PTSD, OCD, Parkinson’s disease and MS). This review presents guidelines for the use of rTMS.
Neuroimaging shows that two brain networks are important in depression: the ‘salience network’ for cognitive control and the ‘ventro-medial network’ important for emotions and reward. These networks are disrupted in depression; rTMS can restore them.
Interesting article advocating that rTMS should become a first choice for treating depression. This would mean that someone would no longer have to try previous treatments (such as medication) before rTMS would be reimbursed.
This article provides evidence for a sustained clinical effect of acute rTMS. To maintain the effect, maintenance treatments may help.