Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Jun 18:1-8.
doi: 10.1159/000538971. Online ahead of print.

Association between Stimulation-Site Pain and Clinical Improvement during Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Patients with Major Depressive Disorders: A Prospective Observational Study at Two Sites

Daisuke Hayashi  1 , Ryuichi Yamazaki  2 , Yuki Matsuda  2 , Shun Igarashi  1 , Nanase Taruishi  2 , Fumitoshi Kodaka  2 , Masahiro Shigeta  2 , Shinsuke Kito  1   2
Affiliations

Association between Stimulation-Site Pain and Clinical Improvement during Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Patients with Major Depressive Disorders: A Prospective Observational Study at Two Sites

Daisuke Hayashi et al. Neuropsychobiology. .

Abstract

Introduction: The clinical efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in Japan has not been adequately investigated. Furthermore, the relationship between stimulation-site pain and the antidepressant effects of rTMS has not been thoroughly examined. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify (1) the real-world efficacy and safety of rTMS for TRD in Japan and (2) the relationship between stimulation-site pain and clinical improvement of depressive symptoms.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study involving 50 right-handed patients with TRD. All patients received high-frequency rTMS for up to 6 weeks. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Montgomery-Åsberg depression rating scale (MADRS). Pain at the stimulation site was reported by the patients using a visual analog scale (VAS) after each session. Remission and response rates at 3 and 6 weeks were calculated based on the MADRS scores. The correlation between changes in the MADRS and VAS scores was examined.

Results: Remission and response rates were 36% and 46%, respectively, at the end of 3 weeks, and 60% and 70%, respectively, at 6 weeks. At the end of the treatment, there was significant correlation between the reduction of MADRS and VAS scores (r = 0.42, p = 0.003).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the clinical efficacy of rTMS in Japan and the correlation between its antidepressant effects and stimulation-site pain.

Keywords: Major depressive disorder; Motor threshold; Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; Stimulation-site pain; Visual analog scale.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

LinkOut - more resources