Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of depression in adolescents: An open-label study

Yuval Bloch, Nimrod Grisaru, Eiran V. Harel, Gabriela Beitler, Nurit Faivel, Gideon Ratzoni, Daniel Stein, Yechiel Levkovitz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

73 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: This open-label pilot study examined repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as a possible treatment of adolescent resistant depression. Method: Nine adolescents (aged 16-18 years) with severe resistant depression (determined by SCID) were recruited, and their depression, suicidality, and cognitive functions were evaluated before, during, and after a course of twenty 10-Hz, 2-second trains (intertrain intervals of 58 seconds) given over 20 min/d over 14 working days. Results: Lower levels of depression with progression in therapy were recorded by both the Beck Depression Inventory and Child Depression Rating Scale measures (F1.7,14.01 ≤ 4.52, P < 0.05; F4,32 ≤ 6.645, P < 0.01, respectively). Three patients reached the primary outcome measure of less than 30% reduction in their Child Depression Rating Scale. The effect on suicidality was not significant. Side effects were considered mild. Conclusions: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation might be a possible therapy for adolescent depression. Our preliminary findings warrant double-blind, controlled studies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)156-159
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of ECT
Volume24
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adolescents
  • Depression
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation

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