Effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of depression
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Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is among the most prevalent and disabling psychiatric disorders worldwide, exerting significant adverse effects on functional capacity, social relationships, and physical health. Although antidepressant medications and psychotherapy remain first-line treatments, a substantial proportion of patients exhibit inadequate therapeutic responses or experience adverse effects that hinder treatment adherence. This study aims to review the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a non-pharmacological therapeutic intervention for major depressive disorder. rTMS has been utilized for several decades in clinical and research settings, both to enhance cognitive functions in healthy individuals and to rehabilitate cognitive deficits in patients with depression.
The technique involves the placement of stimulation coils on the scalp, delivering focused magnetic pulses to targeted brain regions, particularly the prefrontal cortex (PFC). These magnetic pulses painlessly penetrate the scalp and skull to modulate cortical neuronal activity, inducing short-term neuronal excitation that may lead to sustained neurophysiological changes in brain function
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