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rTMS & Depression: Are there other regions we should treat?
People with depression have altered activity in some parts of the brain. To treat depression, we can attempt to change this altered activity by using rTMS. However, the brain region we typically apply rTMS to only achieves remission rates of 30% to 35%. This has led researchers to explore alternative target regions that may result in a higher remission rate.
Measuring the coordination of brain regions can predict who will benefit from rTMS for depression
In this study, researchers propose a possible measurement that may be able to predict if an individual will positively respond to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment.
rTMS for Depression: Brain Images May Predict Recovery
Depression doesn’t just change the way we think and feel — it also changes the structure and function of our brain. Less efficient communication across brain regions may explain significant symptoms of depression that negatively affect problem-solving, memory, and emotional regulation. These changes are brain-wide — but, possibly, reversible with treatment. The authors of the current paper were wondering if brain-wide changes in structure or function could predict whether someone with treatment-resistant depression will respond to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). This is important because if researchers could predict who would benefit from treatment using these brain-based measures, clinical treatments can be more efficient and personalized to what an individual is most likely to respond to.