Submit to JCM Review for JCM Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Clinical Updates and Perspectives on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Neurology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 January 2024) | Viewed by 4945

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mariagiovanna Cantone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Neurology Unit, University Hospital Policlinico “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: cerebrovascular diseases; stroke; depression; dementia; non-invasive brain stimulation; neuroplasticity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has allowed us to learn a great deal about the motor system in humans both in healthy and in pathological conditions up to manipulate neural activities in a non-invasively view. However many aspects of its actions are still debated. Using dedicated TMS protocols it is possible explore the development of connections during brain maturation or the connectivity during motor or sensory learning. TMS is a neurophysiological looking-glass for detect reorganization of brain circuitries in pathological conditions such as stroke, depression and brain neurodegenerative diseases. More recently new and intriguing data revealed its capability to notice subclinical patterns in sleep disorders or metabolic disorders. Lastly researchers routinely are involved in reach the potentialities that lie in combining TMS with other brain functional investigations such as electroencephalogram or brain imaging .This special issue will provide a collection of articles and overviews about current and future trends in TMS.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

New diagnostic strategies of TMS
New stimulators, devices and models to stimulate brain
Non-invasive neuromodulation and combined neurorehabilitation therapies in acute and chronic stroke
Actual and future role of TMS in behavior and psychiatric disorders
Neuroimaging and neurophysiological biomarkers of altered functional connectivity and synaptic transmission (investigated through MRI, EEG, transcranial magnetic stimulation)
Frontiers in farmaco-TMS
Food and brain stimulation
Safety, side-effects and risks management in the TMS laboratory

Dr. Mariagiovanna Cantone
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

transcranial magnetic stimulation
dementia
stroke
motor cortex
neuroplasticity
depression

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Other

11 pages, 236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Retrospective Case–Control Study on the Differences in the Effectiveness of Theta-Burst Stimulation Therapy for Depression with and without Antidepressant Medication

by Haruki Ikawa, Yuya Takeda, Ryota Osawa, Akiko Sato, Hoshimi Mizuno and Yoshihiro Noda

J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(2), 399; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm13020399 - 11 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 820

Abstract

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy has few side effects and comparable therapeutic effects to antidepressant treatment, but few studies have introduced TMS therapy as an initial treatment for MDD. The objective of this study was to retrospectively compare the clinical outcomes between 50 MDD patients without antidepressants (i.e., TMS monotherapy) and 50 MDD patients with antidepressants plus TMS therapy, matched for age, sex, and depression severity. The presence or absence of antidepressant therapy in first-line treatment was determined via a detailed interview by psychiatrists. The study design was a retrospective observational case–control study using the TMS registry data. The key inclusion criteria were adult patients who met the diagnosis of MDD and received 20–30 sessions of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) therapy to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In this study, the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was used as the primary outcome measure. No significant group differences existed in the baseline MADRS total score between the unmedicated and medicated patient groups. Following TMS therapy, no significant group differences in response rate, remission rate, or relative total score change in the MADRS were observed. The main limitations were the retrospective design and the use of registry data as a source. Our findings suggest that TMS monotherapy may be as effective as TMS add-on therapy to antidepressants when used as the first-line therapy for MDD, but randomized controlled trials are needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Updates and Perspectives on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS))

12 pages, 7235 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Human Motor Cortex Modulates Processing of Heat Pain Sensation as Assessed by the Offset Analgesia Paradigm

by Giuseppe Cosentino, Elisa Antoniazzi, Camilla Cavigioli, Vanessa Tang, Giulia Tammam, Chiara Zaffina, Cristina Tassorelli and Massimiliano Todisco

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(22), 7066; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm12227066 - 13 Nov 2023

Viewed by 695

Abstract

Offset analgesia (OA), which is defined as a disproportionately large reduction in pain perception following a small decrease in a heat stimulus, quantifies temporal aspects of endogenous pain modulation. In this study on healthy subjects, we aimed to (i) determine the Heat Pain Threshold (HPT) and the response to constant and dynamic heat stimuli assessing sensitization, adaptation and OA phenomena at the thenar eminence; (ii) evaluate the effects of high-frequency repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) of the primary motor cortex (M1) on these measures. Twenty-four healthy subjects underwent quantitative sensory testing before and after active or sham 10 Hz rTMS (1200 stimuli) of the left M1, during separate sessions. We did not observe any rTMS-related changes in the HPT or visual analogue scale (VAS) values recorded during the constant trial. Of note, at baseline, we did not find OA at the thenar eminence. Only after active rTMS did we detect significantly reduced VAS values during dynamic heat stimuli, indicating a delayed and attenuated OA phenomenon. rTMS of the left M1 may activate remote brain areas that belong to the descending pain modulatory and reward systems involved in the OA phenomenon. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms by which rTMS of M1 could exert its analgesic effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Updates and Perspectives on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 446 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effectiveness of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Retrospective Natural Analysis

by Eisa Almheiri, Abdullah Alhelali, Mohamed A. Abdelnaim, Franziska C. Weber, Berthold Langguth, Martin Schecklmann and Tobias Hebel

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(14), 4748; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm12144748 - 18 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 783

Abstract

Introduction: Depression in the elderly is an understudied condition. Psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches suffer from specific difficulties with this patient group. Brain stimulation techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) offer a therapeutic alternative. rTMS remains understudied in this age group when compared with younger patients. Methods: A cohort of 505 patients with depression was analyzed in retrospect concerning their response to rTMS treatment. A total of 15.5% were 60 years old or older, defined as the elderly group of depressed patients. The majority of these were treated with high-frequency protocols over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). For group comparisons, we used Student t-tests or chi-square-tests, depending on the scales of measurement. As measures for effect size, we used Cohen’s d for the relative and absolute change in the HDRS total score. Results: Groups did not differ significantly with respect to baseline depression severity or treatment parameters. In the group of elderly patients, a higher number of females were present. Groups did not differ significantly with respect to treatment efficacy, as indicated by the absolute and relative changes in the HDRS-21 sum score. Elderly patients tended to take higher numbers of mood stabilizers. Elderly patients showed a significantly superior reduction for the item “appetite” and a superior reduction tending towards significance for the item “work and interests”. Conclusions: Antidepressant rTMS treatment showed comparable efficacy for patients above 60 years to that in younger patients. Differences between the age groups concerning amelioration of distinct HDRS single items deserve further investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Updates and Perspectives on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

9 pages, 989 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Never Too Late: Safety and Efficacy of Deep TMS for Late-Life Depression

by Yiftach Roth, Faisal Munasifi, Steven A. Harvey, Geoffrey Grammer, Colleen A. Hanlon and Aron Tendler

J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(3), 816; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm13030816 - 31 Jan 2024

Viewed by 887

Abstract

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an effective and well-established treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Deep TMS utilizes specially designed H-Coils to stimulate the deep and broad cerebral regions associated with the reward system. The improved depth penetration of Deep TMS may be particularly important in late-life patients who often experience brain atrophy. The aim of this phase IV open-label study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Deep TMS in patients with late-life MDD. Data were collected from 247 patients with MDD aged 60–91 at 16 sites who had received at least 20 Deep TMS sessions for MDD. The outcome measures included self-assessment questionnaires (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)) and clinician-based scales (21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-21)). Following 30 sessions of Deep TMS, there was a 79.4% response and 60.3% remission rate on the most rated scale. The outcomes on the PHQ-9 were similar (76.6% response and 54.7% remission rate). The highest remission and response rates were observed with the HDRS physician-rated scale after 30 sessions (89% response and a 78% remission rate). After 20 sessions, there was a 73% response and 73% remission rate on the HDRS. Consistent with prior studies, the median onset of response was 14 sessions (20 days). The median onset of remission was 15 sessions (23 days). The treatment was well tolerated, with no reported serious adverse events. These high response and remission rates in patients with treatment-resistant late-life depression suggest that Deep TMS is a safe, well-tolerated and effective treatment for this expanded age range of older adults. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Updates and Perspectives on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 548 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Effects on Cognitive Functions—A Systematic Review

by Minoo Sharbafshaaer, Ilaria Gigi, Luigi Lavorgna, Sabrina Esposito, Simona Bonavita, Gioacchino Tedeschi, Fabrizio Esposito and Francesca Trojsi

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(19), 6190; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm12196190 - 25 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1227

Abstract

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique also used as a non-pharmacological intervention against cognitive impairment. The purpose of the present review was to summarize what is currently known about the effectiveness of rTMS intervention on different cognitive domains in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and to address potential neuromodulation approaches in combination with electroencephalography (EEG) and neuroimaging, especially functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this systematic review, we consulted three main databases (PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus), and Google Scholar was selected for the gray literature search. The PRISMA flowchart drove the studies’ inclusion. The selection process ensured that only high-quality studies were included; after removing duplicate papers, explicit ratings were given based on the quality classification as high (A), moderate (B), or low (C), considering factors such as risks of bias, inaccuracies, inconsistencies, lack of direction, and publication bias. Seven full-text articles fulfilled the stated inclusion, reporting five double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled studies, a case study, and a randomized crossover trial. The results of the reviewed studies suggested that rTMS in MCI patients is safe and effective for enhancing cognitive functions, thus making it a potential therapeutic approach for MCI patients. Changes in functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) after targeted rTMS could represent a valuable indicator of treatment response. Finally, high-frequency rTMS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been shown to significantly enhance cognitive functions, such as executive performance, together with the increase of functional connectivity within frontoparietal networks. The main limitations were the number of included studies and the exclusion of studies using intermittent theta-burst stimulation, used in studies on Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, neuroimaging techniques in combination with rTMS have been shown to be useful for future network-based, fMRI-guided therapeutic approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Updates and Perspectives on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS))

► Show Figures