低频重复经颅磁刺激治疗精神分裂症幻听症状疗效的Meta分析

目的研究低频重复经颅磁刺激(rTMS)治疗精神分裂症幻听症状的疗效。方法计算机检索Pubmed、EMbase、Cochrane图书馆、CNKI、万方数据库、维普中文期刊数据库(VIP),收集1995-2014年2月关于rTMS治疗精神分裂症幻听症状的随机对照研究(RCTs)。主要研究指标为阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)的幻听评分及幻听评定量表(AHRS)。文献筛选、资料提取和方法学质量评价由两位研究者独立进行,以RevMan 5.1软件进行Meta分析。结果 17篇RCTs满足纳入标准,共包括786名受试者。Meta分析结果显示,两组之间的PANSS的幻听评分比较,均数差为-1.10,95%CI为[-1.65,-0.54],差异有统计学意义(Z=3.89,P=0.0001);两组之间的AHRS比较,均数差为-3.89,95%CI为[-5.72,-2.06],差异有统计学意义[Z=4.17,P0.00001]。结论低频rTMS对精神分裂症的幻听症状有效。     

20Hz重复经颅磁刺激治疗改善难治性精神分裂症注意和执行功能的损害

目的探讨20Hz高频重复经颅磁刺激(rTMS)治疗对难治性精神分裂症患者认知功能的影响。方法 32例难治性精神分裂症患者随机分为两组,分别接受20Hz高频重复经颅磁刺激治疗(治疗组)与伪刺激治疗(对照组)2周。在治疗前和治疗结束时采用持续操作测验(CPT)和Wisconsin卡片分类测验(WCST)测定患者认知功能。结果 32例患者均完成治疗。治疗后与治疗前相比,CPT各项指标比较差异无显著性;20Hz rTMS对WCST各项指标的影响与空白对照组相比,WCST5(完成的分类数)治疗组治疗后增加,而对照组治疗后降低,两组相比有显著统计学意义(F=6.215,P=0.022)。结论 20Hz高频重复经颅磁刺激治疗可改善难治性精神分裂症患者的执行功能。     

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

BackgroundAnxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) impact 10% of the US population, and many patients do not completely respond to first-line treatments (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and psychotherapy). Given the dearth of evidence for non-pharmacologic, non-psychotherapeutic interventions, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in adults with GAD.MethodsA systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was conducted. Pre- and post-treatment anxiety scores were extracted, and a random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to determine the magnitude of improvement (standardized mean difference). Standard assessments of heterogeneity (e.g., Q-statistic, I², and τ ²) and publication bias were performed.ResultsThe initial search resulted in 3194 citations, of which 6 studies were included in the meta-analysis. In total, 152 patients were studied, including 97 patients who received active treatment and 55 who received sham treatment, and heterogeneity was modest (I² 13.32, Q = 5.77). In patients with GAD, rTMS produced a standardized mean difference of −1.857 (confidence interval: −2.219 to −1.494; P < .001) with a prediction interval of −2.55 to −1.16.ConclusionsThe results suggest a robust effect of rTMS in GAD in the context of limited, heterogenous studies. Rigorously designed, randomized controlled trials of rTMS for GAD and related anxiety disorders are urgently needed. These studies will provide opportunities for biomarker development and integration of concurrent evidence-based psychotherapy to maximize results.     

Stratifying chronic stroke patients based on the influence of contralesional motor cortices: An inter-hemispheric inhibition study

ObjectiveA recent “bimodal-balance recovery” model suggests that contralesional influence varies based on the amount of ipsilesional reserve: inhibitory when there is a large reserve, but supportive when there is a low reserve. Here, we investigated the relationships between contralesional influence (inter-hemispheric inhibition, IHI) and ipsilesional reserve (corticospinal damage/impairment), and also defined a criterion separating subgroups based on the relationships.MethodsTwenty-four patients underwent assessment of IHI using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (ipsilateral silent period method), motor impairment using Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer (UEFM), and corticospinal damage using Diffusion Tensor Imaging and active motor threshold. Assessments of UEFM and IHI were repeated after 5-week rehabilitation (n = 21).ResultsRelationship between IHI and baseline UEFM was quadratic with criterion at UEFM 43 (95%conference interval: 40–46). Patients less impaired than UEFM = 43 showed stronger IHI with more impairment, whereas patients more impaired than UEFM = 43 showed lower IHI with more impairment. Of those made clinically-meaningful functional gains in rehabilitation (n = 14), more-impaired patients showed further IHI reduction.ConclusionsA criterion impairment-level can be derived to stratify patient-subgroups based on the bimodal influence of contralesional cortex. Contralesional influence also evolves differently across subgroups following rehabilitation.SignificanceThe criterion may be used to stratify patients to design targeted, precision treatments.     

A pilot investigation of an intensive theta burst stimulation protocol for patients with treatment resistant depression

IntroductionAccelerated or intensive forms of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are increasingly being explored for their potential to produce more efficient and rapid treatment benefits in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, accelerated or intensive protocols using standard forms of rTMS are still quite time-consuming to apply. Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a novel form of magnetic stimulation with the potential to produce similar anti-depressant effects but in a much abbreviated period of time. The aim of this study was to investigate the comparative efficacy of an intensive TBS protocol compared to standard rTMS treatment.Methods74 outpatients (36 female, mean age 44.36 ± 12.1 years) with MDD received either intensive TBS (3 intermittent TBS treatments per day for 3 days in week 1, 3 treatments a day for 2 days in week 2, and 3 treatments in 1 day in week 3 and in week 4, or standard rTMS (5 daily sessions per week for 4 weeks). Patients were assessed weekly throughout the treatment course, and at 4 weeks after treatment end.ResultsThere were no significant differences in the degree of reduction in depressive symptoms, the rate of reduction in depressive symptoms, remission or response rates (response rates = 27.8% for intensive group, 26.3% for the standard group, p > 0.05 for all analyses) between the intensive TBS and standard rTMS treatment groups. However, the overall response and remission rates were limited in both groups. There was no difference in rates of side effects, no serious adverse events and no alterations in cognitive performance.ConclusionIntensively applied TBS appears to have similar efficacy to standard rTMS when these were applied as delivered in this study but does not produce more rapid clinical benefits. The overall response rates in both groups in this study were limited, most likely by the total doses provided in both study arms.Clinical trials registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12616000443493.     

Altered speech-related cortical network in frontotemporal dementia

BackgroundIn healthy subjects (HS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) demonstrated an increase in motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes during specific linguistic tasks. This finding indicates functional connections between speech-related cortical areas and the dominant primary motor cortex (M1).ObjectiveTo investigate M1 function with TMS and the speech-related cortical network with neuroimaging measures in frontotemporal dementia (FTD), including the non-fluent variant of primary progressive aphasia (nfv-PPA) and the behavioral variant of FTD (bv-FTD).MethodsM1 excitability changes during specific linguistc tasks were examined using TMS in 24 patients (15 with nfv-PPA and 9 with bv-FTD) and in 18 age-matched HS. In the same patients neuroimaging was used to assess changes in specific white matter (WM) bundles and grey matter (GM) regions involved in language processing, with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM).ResultsDuring the linguistic task, M1 excitability increased in HS, whereas in FTD patients it did not. M1 excitability changes were comparable in nfv-PPA and bv-FTD. DTI revealed decreased fractional anisotropy in the superior and inferior longitudinal and uncinate fasciculi. Moreover, VBM disclosed GM volume loss in the left frontal operculum though not in the parietal operculum or precentral gyrus. Furthermore, WM and GM changes were comparable in nfv-PPA and bv-FTD. There was no correlation between neurophysiological and neuroimaging changes in FTD. Atrophy in the left frontal operculum correlated with linguistic dysfunction, assessed by semantic and phonemic fluency tests.ConclusionWe provide converging neurophysiological and neuroimaging evidence of abnormal speech-related cortical network activation in FTD.     

Depressive symptom trajectories associated with standard and accelerated rTMS

BackgroundTo determine if an accelerated rTMS protocol results in distinct depressive symptom response trajectories, compared to a standard rTMS protocol. We also sought to validate previous analyses that identified distinct depressive symptom response trajectories with rTMS treatment using an external dataset.MethodData from two recent clinical trials comparing accelerated rTMS protocol delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) with standard once-daily rTMS protocol were used to identify depressive symptom response trajectories. The accelerated protocol in Trial 1 was conventional 10-Hz rTMS, while Trial 2 employed intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). Participants were adult outpatients (18–70 years old) with bipolar or unipolar depression and moderate-severe depression (Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale score >19) who had failed to respond to adequate courses of two different antidepressants. We used group-based trajectory modeling to identify MADRS response trajectories, and regression techniques adjusting for baseline depressive symptom severity to determine the association between treatment protocol and depressive symptom response trajectory.ResultsTreatment outcomes of 189 participants were analysed. We identified four distinct response trajectories: “nonresponse” (N = 59; 30.7%), “minimal response” (N = 65; 34.1%), “higher symptoms, response” (N = 26; 14.6%), “lower symptoms, response” (N = 39; 20.6%). We failed to find an association between rTMS protocol (accelerated vs standard) with depressive symptom response trajectory even after adjusting for baseline depressive symptom severity.ConclusionThe accelerated rTMS protocol in this study did not impact depressive symptom response trajectories. This work provides further confirmatory evidence that there are distinct depressive symptom response trajectories with rTMS delivered to the left DLPFC.Australian new zealand clinical trials registryACTRN12616000443493 and ACTRN12613000044729.     

Safety and tolerability of transcranial magnetic and direct current stimulation in children: Prospective single center evidence from 3.5 million stimulations

BackgroundNon-invasive brain stimulation is being increasingly used to interrogate neurophysiology and modulate brain function. Despite the high scientific and therapeutic potential of non-invasive brain stimulation, experience in the developing brain has been limited.ObjectiveTo determine the safety and tolerability of non-invasive neurostimulation in children across diverse modalities of stimulation and pediatric populations.MethodsA non-invasive brain stimulation program was established in 2008 at our pediatric, academic institution. Multi-disciplinary neurophysiological studies included single- and paired-pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) methods. Motor mapping employed robotic TMS. Interventional trials included repetitive TMS (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Standardized safety and tolerability measures were completed prospectively by all participants.ResultsOver 10 years, 384 children underwent brain stimulation (median 13 years, range 0.8–18.0). Populations included typical development (n = 118), perinatal stroke/cerebral palsy (n = 101), mild traumatic brain injury (n = 121) neuropsychiatric disorders (n = 37), and other (n = 7). No serious adverse events occurred. Drop-outs were rare (<1%). No seizures were reported despite >100 participants having brain injuries and/or epilepsy. Tolerability between single and paired-pulse TMS (542340 stimulations) and rTMS (3.0 million stimulations) was comparable and favourable. TMS-related headache was more common in perinatal stroke (40%) than healthy participants (13%) but was mild and self-limiting. Tolerability improved over time with side-effect frequency decreasing by >50%. Robotic TMS motor mapping was well-tolerated though neck pain was more common than with manual TMS (33% vs 3%). Across 612 tDCS sessions including 92 children, tolerability was favourable with mild itching/tingling reported in 37%.ConclusionsStandard non-invasive brain stimulation paradigms are safe and well-tolerated in children and should be considered minimal risk. Advancement of applications in the developing brain are warranted. A new and improved pediatric NIBS safety and tolerability form is included.     

重复经颅磁刺激治疗老年抑郁症研究进展

本文目的是对重复经颅磁刺激（rTMS）不同刺激模式在老年抑郁症患者的抑郁症状及认知功能的应用进行综述,进一步探究rTMS不同刺激模式对老年抑郁症治疗效果的改善,希望为老年抑郁症的临床治疗提供新思路。本综述从老年抑郁症研究现况、认知功能特点及rTMS不同刺激模式的效果、安全性等方面进行阐述。