| Paper authors: | Katharina Göke, Jonathan Downar, Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, Zafiris J. Daskalakis, Tarek K. Rajji, Benoit H. Mulsant, and Daniel M. Blumberger |
| Year of paper publication: | 2025 |
| Post authors: | Caleb Pozdnikoff, Lisa Ridgway, Fidel Vila-Rodriguez |
| Download the research article: | Göke et al. (2025) The effects of rTMS on self-reported quality of life in younger and older adults with major depressive disorder |
Introduction
Depression doesn’t just affect mood, it also affects how people perceive other aspects of their health. These aspects can include a person’s psychological, physical, and social well-being. Self-reported quality of life includes all of these elements.
While repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to improve depressive symptoms, we know that these symptoms only tell part of the story. Quality of life can be measured separately to capture a more full picture of life satisfaction. But can rTMS improve quality of life, and does a person’s age change that outcome? This is what the researchers in this study examined: if perceived quality of life changes during the course of rTMS treatment, and whether the benefits are similar for younger and older adults.
Methods
The researchers used patient-reported quality of life data from two trials: the THREE-D trial and the FOUR-D trial (click on the names of these trials to see our previous infographics on them). These two trials varied in their populations of participants included. The THREE-D trial included participants 18-65 years old. The FOUR-D trial included participants 60 years of age and older. Both trials compared standard rTMS and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). For more information about these trials, see our previous posts for the THREE-D trial and the FOUR-D trial.
Altogether, 531 people with treatment-resistant depression participated in the combined trials, including 360 “younger adults” (below 60 years of age) and 171 “older adults” (above 60 years of age). Everyone filled out a short form Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire.
The researchers compared the changes in the quality of life scores between the younger adults group and the older adults group.
Results
- After rTMS treatment, both younger and older adults experienced significant improvements in quality of life, and these benefits were experienced equally in both age groups.
- The study demonstrated that rTMS achieved quality of life benefits comparable to those reported in studies of conventional antidepressant treatments.
Conclusion
A major benefit of rTMS is that it was seen to improve the quality of life among younger and older adults with depression in a clinically meaningful way. This quality of life improvement was comparable to, or exceeded, that reported in studies of conventional antidepressant trials. According to this study, rTMS is a promising option for enhancing the quality of life in both younger and older adults with depression.