Abstract
Background: Major Depression (MD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) are worldwide leading causes of disability and therapeutic strategies for these impairing and prevalent conditions include pharmacological augmentation strategies and brain stimulation techniques. In this perspective, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique with a favorable profile of tolerability which, despite being recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with medication-refractory unipolar depression, still raises some doubts about most effective parameters of stimulation. Methods: A literature search was performed using PubMed for the years 2001 through February 2011 in order to review meta-analytic studies assessing efficacy and safety issues for rTMS in depressive disorders. Fifteen meta-analyses were identified and critically discussed in order to provide an updated and comprehensive overview of the topic with specific emphasis on potentially optimal parameters of stimulation. Results: First meta-analyses on the efficacy of rTMS for the treatment of MD and TRD have shown mixed results. On the other hand, more recent meta-analytic studies seem to support the antidepressant efficacy of the technique to a greater extent, also in light of longer periods of stimulation (e.g. > 2 weeks). Conclusion: rTMS seems to be an effective and safe brain stimulation technique for the treatment of medication refractory depression. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to better define specific stimulation-related issues, such as duration of treatment as well as durability of effects and predictors of response.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 167-177 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health |
| Volume | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |
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Keywords
- Major depression (MD)
- Meta-analyses
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
- Treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Epidemiology
Cite this
Meta-review of metanalytic studies with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for the treatment of Major Depression. / Dell'Osso, Bernardo; Camuri, Giulia; Castellano, Filippo; Vecchi, Vittoria; Benedetti, Matteo; Bortolussi, Sara; Altamura, A. Carlo.
In: Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health, Vol. 7, 2011, p. 167-177.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Meta-review of metanalytic studies with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for the treatment of Major Depression
AU - Dell'Osso, Bernardo
AU - Camuri, Giulia
AU - Castellano, Filippo
AU - Vecchi, Vittoria
AU - Benedetti, Matteo
AU - Bortolussi, Sara
AU - Altamura, A. Carlo
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Background: Major Depression (MD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) are worldwide leading causes of disability and therapeutic strategies for these impairing and prevalent conditions include pharmacological augmentation strategies and brain stimulation techniques. In this perspective, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique with a favorable profile of tolerability which, despite being recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with medication-refractory unipolar depression, still raises some doubts about most effective parameters of stimulation. Methods: A literature search was performed using PubMed for the years 2001 through February 2011 in order to review meta-analytic studies assessing efficacy and safety issues for rTMS in depressive disorders. Fifteen meta-analyses were identified and critically discussed in order to provide an updated and comprehensive overview of the topic with specific emphasis on potentially optimal parameters of stimulation. Results: First meta-analyses on the efficacy of rTMS for the treatment of MD and TRD have shown mixed results. On the other hand, more recent meta-analytic studies seem to support the antidepressant efficacy of the technique to a greater extent, also in light of longer periods of stimulation (e.g. > 2 weeks). Conclusion: rTMS seems to be an effective and safe brain stimulation technique for the treatment of medication refractory depression. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to better define specific stimulation-related issues, such as duration of treatment as well as durability of effects and predictors of response.
AB - Background: Major Depression (MD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) are worldwide leading causes of disability and therapeutic strategies for these impairing and prevalent conditions include pharmacological augmentation strategies and brain stimulation techniques. In this perspective, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique with a favorable profile of tolerability which, despite being recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with medication-refractory unipolar depression, still raises some doubts about most effective parameters of stimulation. Methods: A literature search was performed using PubMed for the years 2001 through February 2011 in order to review meta-analytic studies assessing efficacy and safety issues for rTMS in depressive disorders. Fifteen meta-analyses were identified and critically discussed in order to provide an updated and comprehensive overview of the topic with specific emphasis on potentially optimal parameters of stimulation. Results: First meta-analyses on the efficacy of rTMS for the treatment of MD and TRD have shown mixed results. On the other hand, more recent meta-analytic studies seem to support the antidepressant efficacy of the technique to a greater extent, also in light of longer periods of stimulation (e.g. > 2 weeks). Conclusion: rTMS seems to be an effective and safe brain stimulation technique for the treatment of medication refractory depression. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to better define specific stimulation-related issues, such as duration of treatment as well as durability of effects and predictors of response.
KW - Major depression (MD)
KW - Meta-analyses
KW - Transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
KW - Treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
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U2 - 10.2174/1745017901107010167
DO - 10.2174/1745017901107010167
M3 - Article
VL - 7
SP - 167
EP - 177
JO - Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
JF - Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
SN - 1745-0179
ER -