Study Reports TMS Therapy Helps Patients With MDD

In a scientific poster presented at last week's American Psychiatric Association (APA) meeting, new data show that patients with unipolar, non-psychotic major depressive disorder (MDD) receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) achieved significant improvements in both depression symptoms and in quality of life measurements.¹

In an open label study of 307 participants receiving acute TMS over an average period of 5 weeks, 58% had a positive response, with 37% achieving remission from their depression. Researchers reported the most noteworthy improvement was seen in the mental component summary score measured by the Short Form 36-Item Questionnaire (SF-36). Neurostar TMS^®-the only FDA-approved TMS device-was used in the study. It is currently being studied in the treatment of postpartum depression, PTSD, OCD, and schizophrenia.

Here, Ian A. Cook, MD, an investigator in the study, briefly explains the findings. Dr Cook is Professor of Psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles.

References:

Reference1. Demitrack MA, Carpenter LL, Janicak PG, et al. Quality of life and functional status outcomes with TMS in toutine practice: a pragmatic clinical trial in the treatment of major depression. Poster presentation at the American Psychiatric Association (2012), supported by funding from Neuronetics, Inc. Clinical trial listing number NCT 01114477.