In a nutshell
This study investigated the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (RTMS) in treating mental and physical symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Researchers suggested that RTMS improves the treatment outcomes of these patients.
Some background
PD affects 1% of the population over the age of 60 in the US. It affects brain cells, which lose their abilities to control body functions. This causes physical and mental symptoms such as muscle weakness, tremors, and depression. Physical symptoms can be controlled by drug therapy. However, these treatments are often of limited effectiveness for mental symptoms. Depression is the most common mental symptom, being present in 15 to 50% of patients.
RTMS is a non-invasive brain stimulation that delivers a magnetic pulse to specific areas in the brain. Prior studies showed that RTMS improves physical symptoms and depression. However, these studies have contradictory results. Some report no improvement in symptoms after RTMS. Therefore, the effectiveness of RTMS in physical symptoms and depression in patients with Parkinson is still not clear.
Methods & findings
This study reviewed 28 other studies with information about patients with PD. These patients had physical symptoms and depression and were treated with RTMS.
Both high and low-frequency RTMS showed to be associated with significant improvement in physical symptoms. RTMS was also associated with long-term effects on physical symptoms.
Moreover, RTMS also improved depression with long-term effects. However, only high-frequency RTMS showed this effect. Age, disease duration, numbers of pulses, and session duration affected the impact of RTMS on depression.
No significant difference in depression symptoms was seen between RTMS and antidepressant drug fluoxetine (Prozac).
The bottom line
This study concluded that RTMS improves physical symptoms and depression in patients with Parkinson's disease.
The fine print
This study was based on medical records. Some information might have been incomplete. This might affect the results.
Published By :
Medicine
Date :
May 01, 2020
