Neurocognitive effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with a 2-coil device in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Neurocognitive dysfunction is an understudied and undertreated aspect of psychiatric research and treatment. There is emerging evidence to suggest that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may possess neurocognition-enhancing capabilities. METHODS: This study examined the neurocognitive data from a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial of an investigational 2-coil rTMS device in antidepressant treatment or treatment-intolerant major depressive disorder patients. This device has the potential to stimulate deeper areas of the brain than the Food and Drug Administration-approved TMS devices, which primarily stimulate cortical brain areas and may therefore have different neurocognitive adverse effects. Patients received 20 daily rTMS treatments (10-Hz stimulation; either active or sham) with coil centers positioned over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Neurocognitive safety was evaluated at baseline and within 72 hours of final treatment session with a computerized battery assessing aspects of attention and memory in 84 participants. RESULTS: There were no observed negative neurocognitive effects of the 2-coil rTMS device. A significant effect of active rTMS was observed on the quality of episodic memory. There were no observed effects for attention or working memory. Baseline quality of episodic memory predicted depression treatment response and remission, in that lower baseline episodic memory was as…
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Cognitive improvements following rTMS have been observed in younger adults with depression across various domains including learning and memory, attention, executive function, and psychomotor processing speed.
“Cognitive improvements following rTMS have been observed in younger adults with depression across various domains including learning and memory,16–18 attention, 19 executive function19–24 and psychomotor processing speed.”
rTMS is considered cognitively safe with mixed evidence regarding its potential for cognitive enhancing properties.
“Importantly, rTMS is considered cognitively safe with mixed evidence regarding its potential for cognitive enhancing properties (Gregory et al., 2022;Kavanaugh et al., 2018;Martin et al., 2017;Schulze-Rauschenbach et al., 2005;Serafini et al., 2015;Wall et al., 2013;Yildiz et al., 2023).”
From Neurocognitive effects of theta burst stimulation for treatment-resistant depression in adults: A systematic review and recommendations for future research (2025) · cites this paper as Kavanaugh et al., 2018
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- Authors
- Kavanaugh, B. C., Aaronson, S. T., Clarke, G. N., Holtzheimer, P. E., Johnson, C. W., McDonald, W. M., Schneider, M. B., & Carpenter, L. L.
- Affiliations
- Bradley Hospital (US)
- Sheppard Pratt Health System (US)
- Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (US)
- Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center (US)
- PRA Health Sciences (US)
- Emory University (US)
- Butler Hospital (US)
- Corresponding author
- Kavanaugh, Brian C.
- Schneider, M. Bret
- ORCID
- Venue
- The Journal of ECT
- Published
- 2018-12
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 258-265
- ISSN
- 1095-0680 (ISSN-L)
- 1533-4112
- OpenAlex
- W2795762625
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 0.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Ect (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Electroconvulsive Therapy Studies
- Keywords
- repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, episodic memory, attention, working memory, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, treatment response prediction, depression remission
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Cognition, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Treatment Outcome, Prefrontal Cortex, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Young Adult, Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant
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