Treating major depression and comorbid disorders with transcranial magnetic stimulation

Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a global disorder that negatively affects mood and quality of life. Antidepressant medication and psychotherapy are the most commonly prescribed treatments, but prior research has called their clinical efficacy into question. These treatments may be less effective when the patient has a diagnosed comorbid disorder. Method: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to investigate whether an alternative method of treatment, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), is effective for MDD with a diagnosed comorbidity. 110 articles were identified, of which 8 were included in the current review. Results: Response and remission rates vary. A range of 39.5-70% of participants experienced an antidepressant response to treatment, and 16.6-76.9% of patients achieved remission from MDD. A range of 48.6-84.6% of participants responded to treatment of their comorbid disorder, and 50-84.6% achieved remission of comorbid symptoms. Limitations: Limitations of the current review include small sample sizes, limited statistical power, homogenous samples, and a lack of sham or placebo-controlled studies. Conclusion: Preliminary results support that TMS is effective at treating symptoms of MDD and a comorbid disorder. Additional studies are needed to confirm these results.