Proximity to an SGC-DLPFC Individualized Functional Target and outcomes in large rTMS clinical trials for Treatment-Resistant Depression.

Background: Targeting methods for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in patients with depression now include the use of individual functional scans to target specific functional connectivity (FC) patterns obtained from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Potential biomarkers of rTMS response include target FC with the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (SGC) or the causal depression circuit (CDC), each of which may be candidates for individualized functional targets (iFTs). We assessed the relationship of these two approaches to clinical outcomes in two large rTMS clinical trials.

Evolution of Electroconvulsive Therapy Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the provision of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) across the globe, challenging ECT services to develop protocols that preserve access to this life-saving treatment. This systematic review maps the literature on global ECT practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The English-language literature was searched through OVID (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase) on August 7, 2024.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as Maintenance Treatment of Depression: The MAINT-R Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Depression relapse poses significant medical and economic challenges. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as maintenance treatment may prevent relapse of treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

Objective: To compare the effectiveness between low-frequency rTMS and lithium in preventing TRD relapse.

Stochastic Approximator of Motor Threshold (SAMT) for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Online Software and Its Performance in Clinical Studies.

Background: The motor threshold (MT) plays a central role in probing brain excitability and individualizing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Previously, we proposed stochastic approximation (SA) as a new method for determining TMS MT and demonstrated its excellent speed and accuracy via simulations. SA also has low computational requirements and is robust to potential model flaws.

Assessing Motor Cortex Excitability and Its Relationship with Cortical Atrophy in Alzheimer's Dementia.

Background: Cortical excitability has been proposed as a novel neurophysiological marker of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's dementia (AD). However, the link between cortical excitability and structural changes in AD is not well understood.

Objective: To assess the relationship between cortical excitability and motor cortex thickness in AD.

Predictive modeling of response to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in treatment-resistant depression.

Identifying predictors of treatment response to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) remain elusive in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Leveraging electronic medical records (EMR), this retrospective cohort study applied supervised machine learning (ML) to sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment-related data to predict depressive symptom response (>50% reduction on PHQ-9) and remission (PHQ-9 < 5) following rTMS in 232 patients with TRD (mean age: 54.5, 63.

Crosswalk between HRSD and MADRS outcomes for rTMS in patients with depression.

Background: The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) are the two most common clinician-rated scales to quantify depression symptom change in repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) trials. However, it is unclear how the values of one scale translate to the other. Being able to translate scores between these scales could allow for aggregating rTMS clinical trial data.

Assessment and Management of Concurrent Substance Use in Patients Receiving Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Depressive, Obsessive-Compulsive, Psychotic, and Trauma-Related Disorders: A Delphi Consensus Study and Guideline.

Objective: Limited data are available to inform clinicians on how to manage concurrent substance use in the context of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for the treatment of depressive, obsessive-compulsive, psychotic, or trauma-related disorders. The authors convened an international panel of 24 rTMS experts, representative of different geographic regions and subspecialities, and created a consensus guideline for clinicians and researchers on approaches to concurrent substance use in patients receiving rTMS as treatment for primary psychiatric disorders.

Methods: A Delphi method survey and expert opinion elicited over consecutive rounds of surveys were used, with feedback and discussion after each round.

A Systematic Review of Study Design and Placebo Controls in Psychedelic Research.

Introduction: Effective blinding is especially challenging in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving psychedelics due to the inherent alterations in consciousness that these compounds induce. In this systematic review and exploratory analysis, we aim at synthesizing the methodologies used in RCTs involving classic psychedelics and identify procedures that can help minimize unblinding and bias.

Methods: We completed a literature search that included prospective RCTs published between 1963 and January 2023, in which participants were randomized to receive either a classic psychedelic or placebo.

Cognitive Outcomes After Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the Treatment of Late-Life Depression: Résultats cognitifs après la stimulation magnétique transcrânienne pour le traitement de la dépression chez les personnes âgées.

Background: Late-life depression (LLD) is often accompanied by cognitive impairment, which may persist despite antidepressant treatment. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an efficacious treatment for depression, with potential benefits on cognitive functioning. However, research on cognitive effects is inconclusive, relatively sparse in LLD, and predominantly focused on group-level cognitive changes.

Spaced Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Major Depression.

Objective: This study investigated spaced transcranial direct current stimulation for major depressive disorder, focusing on feasibility.

Methods: In a prospective open-label study, 30 participants with major depressive disorder were enrolled to receive a 50-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatment over 2 weeks. The feasibility, safety, tolerability, and preliminary therapeutic effects of this tDCS protocol were assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-17) and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at baseline and 1-week and 4-week follow-ups, as well as with the 6-item HAM-D (HAM-D-6) daily during treatment.

Identifying causal neural oscillations underlying working memory.

Electroencephalography is instrumental in understanding neurophysiological mechanisms underlying working memory. While numerous studies have associated electroencephalography features to working memory, understanding causal relationships leads to better characterization of the neurophysiological mechanisms that are directly linked to working memory. Personalized causal modeling is a tool to discover these direct links between brain features and working memory performance.

Effectiveness of sequential bilateral repetitive transcranial stimulation versus bilateral theta burst stimulation for patients with treatment-resistant depression (BEAT-D): A randomized non-inferiority clinical trial.

Background: Bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (BL-rTMS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is effective for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Owing to a shorter treatment time, bilateral theta burst stimulation (BL-TBS) can be more efficient protocol. The non-inferiority of BL-TBS to BL-rTMS was established in late-life TRD; however, this has not been determined in adults of other age groups.

Magnetic Seizure Therapy in Refractory Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: La thérapie par convulsions magnétiques pour la prise en charge des troubles psychiatriques réfractaires : revue systématique et méta-analyse.

ObjectiveTo qualitatively and quantitatively synthesize the literature on the efficacy and safety of magnetic seizure therapy (MST) in psychiatric disorders.MethodsA literature search was conducted of the OVID Medline, OVID EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane databases from inception to 14 January 2024, using subject headings and key words for "magnetic seizure therapy." Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), post-hoc analyses of RCTs, open-label trials, or case series investigating MST in adults with a verified psychiatric diagnosis and reporting on two possible primary outcomes (1) psychiatric symptom reduction (as measured by validated rating scale) or (2) neurocognitive outcomes (as measured by standardized testing), were included.

Optimizing the identification of long-interval intracortical inhibition from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Objective: This study aimed to optimally evaluate the effect of the long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) through transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) by eliminating the volume conductance with signal source estimation and using a realistic sham coil as a control.

Methods: We compared the LICI effects from the DLPFC between the active and sham stimulation conditions in 27 healthy participants. Evoked responses between the two conditions were evaluated at the sensor and source levels.

Randomised controlled trial comparing different intersession intervals of intermittent theta burst delivered to the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex.

Background: Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) that can be administered in a fraction of the time of standard rTMS. Applying multiple daily iTBS sessions (ie, accelerated iTBS) may enable patients to achieve remission more rapidly. However, questions remain regarding the optimal time interval between treatment sessions.