Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and around 800,000 suicides occur each year. According to the World Health Organization, major depressive disorder (MDD) is expected to be the leading cause of the global burden of disease by 2030. One third of MDD patients do not respond to first-line pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic antidepressant treatments. New antidepressant treatments that are safe, tolerable, fast-acting, durable and effective are needed. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a promising form of non-invasive brain stimulation with rapid antidepressant and suicide prevention effects in MDD. TMS applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment-resistant depression. TMS involves passing an electric current through a magnetic coil placed on the surface of the scalp, producing a high-intensity magnetic field that travels through the scalp, skull and meninges, stimulating neuronal tissue. This in turn causes changes in functional connectivity. The mechanism of TMS on core depressive symptoms is hypothesized to be mediated in part through indirect inhibitory functional connectivity from the left DLPFC to the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC).
The aim of this study was to investigate whether recurrent TMS (rTMS) and theta burst stimulation (TBS) are superior to each other when applied unilaterally and bilaterally in treatment-resistant MDD. As stated in the reference articles, a similar study was conducted unilaterally at Stanford University and achieved 70% remission rates. Our goal is that bilateral administration will result in longer treatment compliance and duration of effect compared to unilateral administration. This study aims to monitor the change in neurocognitive functions of patients with moderate to severe depression diagnosed with major depression according to DSM 5 criteria, whose treatment is prescribed by their physician as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and whose current pharmacological treatment is continued concurrently with TMS treatment, at the controls to be performed before TMS treatment, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks after the start of TMS treatment. For this purpose, structured neuropsychological tests with Turkish validity and reliability studies will be applied to the patients. In addition, the study aims to evaluate whether there will be a decrease in the severity of depression after TMS treatment and whether there is any change in depression severity and symptoms in the 1st week, 2nd week, 4th week, 6th week, 8th week, 10th week and 14th week controls through the scales measuring the severity of depression to be applied to the patients participating in the study.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
60
A total of 50 sessions will be applied for 2 weeks, 5 sessions a day, 5 days a week. There will be at least 30 minutes rest time between each session. It includes first an intermittent theta burst (iTBS) protocol at a frequency of 5 Hz with 1800 pulses to the left DLPFC at 90% motor threshold, followed by a continuous theta burst (cTBS) protocol at a frequency of 5 Hz with 600 pulses to the right DLPFC at 80% motor threshold.
A total of 50 sessions will be applied for 2 weeks, 5 sessions a day, 5 days a week. There will be at least 30 minutes rest time between each session. One session will consist of a high frequency (5 Hz) intermittent theta burst (iTBS) of 1800 pulses at 90% motor threshold to the left DLPFC followed by a pseudo continuous theta burst (cTBS) of 600 pulses at 5 Hz frequency at 80% motor threshold to the right DLPFC. The sham cTBS treatment will be applied by placing the coil at a 45-degree angle to the application site.
Ataturk University
Erzurum, Turkey (Türkiye)
Depression severity
The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. The minimum and maximum scores are 0-60. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: pretreatment, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
Depression severity
The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17. The minimum and maximum scores are 0-51. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: pretreatment, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
Anxiety severity
Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. The minimum and maximum scores are 0-56. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: pretreatment, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
Suicidal ideation score of The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17
Suicidal ideation score on the third question of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17. The minimum and maximum scores are 0-4. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: pretreatment, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
Suicidal ideation score of The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale
Suicidal ideation score on the tenth question of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Minimum and maximum scores range from 0-6. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: pretreatment, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
Insomnia Severity
It is measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The minimum and maximum scores are 0-21. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: pretreatment, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
Insomnia Severity
It is measured with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). The minimum and maximum scores are 0-28. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: pretreatment, 4 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
Cognitive Assessment
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) : The maximum score that can be obtained from the test is 30. A total score of 21 and above indicates that the participant is within normal limits.
Time frame: pretreatment, 4 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
Functionality Severity
Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST): It is used to measure patients' functionality. The minimum and maximum scores are 0-66. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: pretreatment, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks
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