Publication Type Academic Article
Authors Lantrip C, Delaloye S, Baird L, Dreyer-Oren S, Brady R, Roth R, Gunning F, Holtzheimer P
Journal Cogn Behav Neurol
Volume 32
Issue 2
Pagination 69-75
Date Published 06/01/2019
ISSN 1543-3641
Keywords Affect, Emotions, Functional Laterality, Photic Stimulation, Prefrontal Cortex, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine the antidepressant mechanism of action for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in healthy women. Our primary hypothesis was that a single session of left DLPFC rTMS, compared with a session of right DLPFC rTMS, would result in better (reduced) negative nonaffective switch costs in healthy women. BACKGROUND: The antidepressant mechanism of action for rTMS is not clear. It is possible that rTMS to the DLPFC improves emotion regulation, which could be a part of its antidepressant mechanism. METHODS: Twenty-five healthy women were randomized to receive left high-frequency (HF) rTMS versus right HF rTMS in one session and then contralateral stimulation during a second session. Emotion regulation was assessed via switch costs for reappraisal of negatively valenced information on an affective flexibility task. RESULTS: For negative nonaffective switch costs, the interaction effect in the two-way ANOVA was not significant (F1,19=3.053, P=0.097). Given that left HF rTMS is the approved treatment for depression, post hoc t tests were completed with particular interest in the left-side findings. These tests confirmed that negative nonaffective switch costs significantly improved immediately after left rTMS (t1,19=2.664, P=0.015) but not right rTMS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that left DLPFC HF rTMS may lead to antidepressant effects by improving the regulation of emotion.
DOI 10.1097/WNN.0000000000000190
PubMed ID 31205120
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