In a clinical trial for depression, participants receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were grouped by their thought patterns. The group instructed to focus on positive thoughts exhibited a 43% remission rate, whereas those without specific thought direction had a 30% remission rate. Participants instructed to focus on negative thoughts experienced the least improvement, with an 8% remission rate. This suggests that positive thinking may enhance the effectiveness of this depression treatment.
Isserles M, Rosenberg O, Dannon P, Levkovitz Y, Kotler M, Deutsch F, Lerer B, Zangen A. Cognitive-emotional reactivation during deep transcranial magnetic stimulation over the prefrontal cortex of depressive patients affects antidepressant outcome. J Affect Disord. 2011 Feb;128(3):235-42.
Effectiveness of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Clinical Practice Post-FDA Approval in the United States:
Results Observed With the First 100 Consecutive Cases of Depression at an Academic Medical Center
K. Ryan Connolly, MD; Amanda Helmer, RN; Mario A. Cristancho, MD; Pilar Cristancho, MD; and John P. O’Reardon, MD
J Clin Psychiatry 2012;73(4):e567-e573
10.4088/JCP.11m07413
© Copyright 2012 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is prevalent among pregnant patients. Typical pharmacotherapy treatments may not always be viable options for patients due to symptom severity, the need for rapid symptom resolution, and perceived concerns about the effects of medications on fetal development. Alternative therapies such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have gained interest and research attention.
By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health
April 6th, 2023
TMs or Neuromodulation for Depression
O’Reardon JP, Solvason HB, Janicak PG, et al.
Efficacy and safety of transcranial magnetic stimulation in the acute treatment of major depression: a multi-site randomized controlled trial. Biological Psychiatry 2007; 62, 1208-16. Demitrack, MA, Thase, ME.
Clinical significance of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of pharmaco-resistant depression: synthesis of recent data. Psychopharm Bull. 2009, 42(2): 5-38.
