Kerkel, Katharina and Schoisswohl, Stefan and Langguth, Berthold and Abdelnaim, Mohamed A. and Bernet, Jost and Schecklmann, Martin and Reissmann, Andreas (2025) Is more better? Comparing 600, 1200 and 1800 pulses/session (p/s) of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) for the treatment of depression. JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, 184. pp. 256-261. ISSN 0022-3956, 1879-1379
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
Introduction: Repetitive Transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive therapy for treatment-resistant disorders. Intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) has emerged as a favorite treatment protocol for the treatment of therapy resistant depression, with the tendency to administer an increasing number of pulses/session (p/s). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 215 in- and out-patients, suffering from unipolar or bipolar depressive disorder in a German tertiary care hospital between January 2021 and September 2024. All patients received left prefrontal iTBS with either 600 (n = 68), 1200 (n = 67) or 1800 (n = 80) p/s over the course of 15-20 days. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-21) and the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) before and at the end of the respective treatment. Side effects were quantified by the number of patients reporting a side effect in at least one of the rTMS sessions. Results: In all groups, the HAMD-21 and MDI scores improved significantly. There was no significant difference between the three groups (HAMD-21: p = .198, MDI: p = .281). Further, this result equally applies to men and women (all p ' s > .145). No serious side effects occurred. Patients who were treated with 600 p/s reported most side effects. Conclusion: Our retrospective analysis suggests that an increase of p/s from 600 to 1200 or 1800 does not result in more pronounced antidepressant effects.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION; COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY; MAJOR DEPRESSION; DOUBLE-BLIND; ADOLESCENTS; DISORDER; EXCITABILITY; EFFICACY; CORTEX; RTMS; Major depressive disorder (MDD); Intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS); Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS); 600, 1200, 1800 pulses/session (p/s) |
| Subjects: | 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine |
| Divisions: | Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Aug 2026 10:06 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Aug 2026 10:06 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/66077 |
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