Long term effects of left frontal rTMS on EEG and ERPs in patients with depression

Desiree Spronk; Martijn Arns; Aukje Bootsma; Rosalinde van Ruth; Paul B. Fitzgerald

doi:10.1177/155005940803900305

Long term effects of left frontal rTMS on EEG and ERPs in patients with depression

Desiree Spronk^*, Martijn Arns, Aukje Bootsma, Rosalinde van Ruth, Paul B. Fitzgerald

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for depression has been under investigation in many controlled studies over the last 20 years. Little is known about the neurobiological action of rTMS in patients. We therefore investigated pre- and post-treatment effects on QEEG, ERP's and behavior (BDI and NEO-FFI).

rTMS treatment was applied in 8 subjects for an average of 21 sessions to the left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (left DLPFC). Clients were assessed on a QEEG and Oddball ERP evaluation pre-and post-treatment. Clients were stimulated over the left DLPFC with 10 Hz rTMS (100% MT). Furthermore, rTMS treatment was complimented by psychotherapy.

All subjects showed full remission within 20 sessions and there was a significant reduction in depressive symptomatology (BDI score) after 10 and 15 sessions and a clear decrease in the Neuroticism and an increase on the extraversion scale of the NEO-FFI personality questionnaire. Pre- and post-l measurements did not reveal treatment specific effects, but only an indirect right frontal increase in delta power. On the other hand. ERP measures did reveal treatment specific effects by showing an increased positivity in the post-treatment ERP's specifically left frontal. The P2 amplitude demonstrated a significant left frontal increase in amplitude, whereas for the negative N1 and N2 a significant decrease in amplitude was observed.

The results of this pilot study demonstrate that rTMS can be a safe and efficacious treatment modality for depression. Furthermore, a specific left frontal increase in positivity for the ERP's was found (increased P2 and decreased N1 and N2 components) most likely related to the rTMS over the left DLPFC. Furthermore, there was no change in the alpha asymmetry lending support to the fact that frontal alpha asymmetry can be considered a trait marker for depression. The findings from this pilot study require future replication with larger sample sizes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	118-124
Number of pages	7
Journal	Clinical Eeg and Neuroscience
Volume	39
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/155005940803900305
Publication status	Published - Jul 2008
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

depression
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
event-related potenital
QEEG
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
treatment
TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION
EVENT-RELATED POTENTIALS
MAJOR DEPRESSION
ASYMMETRIES
PERFUSION

Access to Document

10.1177/155005940803900305

Cite this

@article{29f0a9b5ed2544bba526a52199b075b8,

title = "Long term effects of left frontal rTMS on EEG and ERPs in patients with depression",

abstract = "Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for depression has been under investigation in many controlled studies over the last 20 years. Little is known about the neurobiological action of rTMS in patients. We therefore investigated pre- and post-treatment effects on QEEG, ERP's and behavior (BDI and NEO-FFI).rTMS treatment was applied in 8 subjects for an average of 21 sessions to the left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (left DLPFC). Clients were assessed on a QEEG and Oddball ERP evaluation pre-and post-treatment. Clients were stimulated over the left DLPFC with 10 Hz rTMS (100% MT). Furthermore, rTMS treatment was complimented by psychotherapy.All subjects showed full remission within 20 sessions and there was a significant reduction in depressive symptomatology (BDI score) after 10 and 15 sessions and a clear decrease in the Neuroticism and an increase on the extraversion scale of the NEO-FFI personality questionnaire. Pre- and post-l measurements did not reveal treatment specific effects, but only an indirect right frontal increase in delta power. On the other hand. ERP measures did reveal treatment specific effects by showing an increased positivity in the post-treatment ERP's specifically left frontal. The P2 amplitude demonstrated a significant left frontal increase in amplitude, whereas for the negative N1 and N2 a significant decrease in amplitude was observed.The results of this pilot study demonstrate that rTMS can be a safe and efficacious treatment modality for depression. Furthermore, a specific left frontal increase in positivity for the ERP's was found (increased P2 and decreased N1 and N2 components) most likely related to the rTMS over the left DLPFC. Furthermore, there was no change in the alpha asymmetry lending support to the fact that frontal alpha asymmetry can be considered a trait marker for depression. The findings from this pilot study require future replication with larger sample sizes.",

keywords = "depression, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, event-related potenital, QEEG, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, treatment, TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION, EVENT-RELATED POTENTIALS, MAJOR DEPRESSION, ASYMMETRIES, PERFUSION",

author = "Desiree Spronk and Martijn Arns and Aukje Bootsma and {van Ruth}, Rosalinde and Fitzgerald, {Paul B.}",

year = "2008",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1177/155005940803900305",

language = "English",

volume = "39",

pages = "118--124",

journal = "Clinical Eeg and Neuroscience",

issn = "1550-0594",

publisher = "EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Society (ECNS)",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Long term effects of left frontal rTMS on EEG and ERPs in patients with depression

AU - Spronk, Desiree

AU - Arns, Martijn

AU - Bootsma, Aukje

AU - van Ruth, Rosalinde

AU - Fitzgerald, Paul B.

PY - 2008/7

Y1 - 2008/7

N2 - Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for depression has been under investigation in many controlled studies over the last 20 years. Little is known about the neurobiological action of rTMS in patients. We therefore investigated pre- and post-treatment effects on QEEG, ERP's and behavior (BDI and NEO-FFI).rTMS treatment was applied in 8 subjects for an average of 21 sessions to the left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (left DLPFC). Clients were assessed on a QEEG and Oddball ERP evaluation pre-and post-treatment. Clients were stimulated over the left DLPFC with 10 Hz rTMS (100% MT). Furthermore, rTMS treatment was complimented by psychotherapy.All subjects showed full remission within 20 sessions and there was a significant reduction in depressive symptomatology (BDI score) after 10 and 15 sessions and a clear decrease in the Neuroticism and an increase on the extraversion scale of the NEO-FFI personality questionnaire. Pre- and post-l measurements did not reveal treatment specific effects, but only an indirect right frontal increase in delta power. On the other hand. ERP measures did reveal treatment specific effects by showing an increased positivity in the post-treatment ERP's specifically left frontal. The P2 amplitude demonstrated a significant left frontal increase in amplitude, whereas for the negative N1 and N2 a significant decrease in amplitude was observed.The results of this pilot study demonstrate that rTMS can be a safe and efficacious treatment modality for depression. Furthermore, a specific left frontal increase in positivity for the ERP's was found (increased P2 and decreased N1 and N2 components) most likely related to the rTMS over the left DLPFC. Furthermore, there was no change in the alpha asymmetry lending support to the fact that frontal alpha asymmetry can be considered a trait marker for depression. The findings from this pilot study require future replication with larger sample sizes.

AB - Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for depression has been under investigation in many controlled studies over the last 20 years. Little is known about the neurobiological action of rTMS in patients. We therefore investigated pre- and post-treatment effects on QEEG, ERP's and behavior (BDI and NEO-FFI).rTMS treatment was applied in 8 subjects for an average of 21 sessions to the left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (left DLPFC). Clients were assessed on a QEEG and Oddball ERP evaluation pre-and post-treatment. Clients were stimulated over the left DLPFC with 10 Hz rTMS (100% MT). Furthermore, rTMS treatment was complimented by psychotherapy.All subjects showed full remission within 20 sessions and there was a significant reduction in depressive symptomatology (BDI score) after 10 and 15 sessions and a clear decrease in the Neuroticism and an increase on the extraversion scale of the NEO-FFI personality questionnaire. Pre- and post-l measurements did not reveal treatment specific effects, but only an indirect right frontal increase in delta power. On the other hand. ERP measures did reveal treatment specific effects by showing an increased positivity in the post-treatment ERP's specifically left frontal. The P2 amplitude demonstrated a significant left frontal increase in amplitude, whereas for the negative N1 and N2 a significant decrease in amplitude was observed.The results of this pilot study demonstrate that rTMS can be a safe and efficacious treatment modality for depression. Furthermore, a specific left frontal increase in positivity for the ERP's was found (increased P2 and decreased N1 and N2 components) most likely related to the rTMS over the left DLPFC. Furthermore, there was no change in the alpha asymmetry lending support to the fact that frontal alpha asymmetry can be considered a trait marker for depression. The findings from this pilot study require future replication with larger sample sizes.

KW - depression

KW - dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

KW - event-related potenital

KW - QEEG

KW - repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

KW - treatment

KW - TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION

KW - EVENT-RELATED POTENTIALS

KW - MAJOR DEPRESSION

KW - ASYMMETRIES

KW - PERFUSION

U2 - 10.1177/155005940803900305

DO - 10.1177/155005940803900305

M3 - Article

C2 - 18751560

SN - 1550-0594

VL - 39

SP - 118

EP - 124

JO - Clinical Eeg and Neuroscience

JF - Clinical Eeg and Neuroscience

IS - 3

ER -