Effectiveness of rTMS With Double-Cone-Coil in Patients With Major Depression — ACDC  

Depression Clinical Trial

Official title: Effectiveness of Medial Frontal Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation With Double-Cone-Coil in Patients With Major Depression

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is used to modulate the neuronal excitability in patients with depression. In the present study the investigators will examine whether medial frontal rTMS using a double-cone-coil proves to be superior to conventional high-frequency-rTMS applied to the left-sided prefrontal cortex with a butterfly-coil.

Clinical Trial Description

Depression is a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy levels and poor concentration. These problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to substantial impairments in an individual's ability to take care of his or her everyday's responsibilities, at its worst, depression can lead to suicide. Depression can be reliably diagnosed in primary care. Antidepressant medications and brief, structured forms of psychotherapy are effective for 60-80% of those affected and can be delivered in primary care.

In patients with depression the cerebral metabolism is deranged in some specific areas such as hypoexcitability in frontal cortical areas. High-frequency rTMS of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been investigated for the treatment of hypoexcitability disorders. Mild antidepressant effects of rTMS applied to the left sided dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) using a standard butterfly coil can possibly be increased by a different stimulation protocol over the medial frontal cortex using a double-cone-coil. First hints to effectiveness of this treatment arise from case reports and therefore need replication and comparability to conventional stimulation protocols. In the present study the investigators will examine whether medial frontal rTMS using a double-cone-coil proves to be more effective to conventional high-frequency-rTMS applied to the left-sided prefrontal cortex with a butterfly-coil. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depression
• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Disorder, Major

• NCT number: NCT01460758
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Regensburg
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 2011
• Completion date: November 2013