Journal article
Does rTMS on brain areas of mirror neurons lead to higher improvements on symptom severity and empathy compared to the rTMS standard procedure? - Results from a double-blind interventional study in individuals with major depressive disorders.
- Jahangard L Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- Tayebi M Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- Haghighi M Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- Ahmadpanah M Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- Holsboer-Trachsler E University of Basel, Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland.
- Sadeghi Bahmani D University of Basel, Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland; Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Kermanshah, Iran; Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Sleep Disturbances Research Center, Kermanshah, Iran; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Research Institute, Isfahan, Iran.
- Brand S University of Basel, Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland; Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Kermanshah, Iran; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Research Institute, Isfahan, Iran; University of Basel, Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Division of Sport Science and Psychosocial Health, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: serge.brand@upk.ch.
- 2019-07-20
Published in:
- Journal of affective disorders. - 2019
Emotion regulation
Major depressive disorders
Mirror neurons
Mood
rTMS
Adult
Affect
Brain
Depressive Disorder, Major
Double-Blind Method
Emotions
Empathy
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Mirror Neurons
Prefrontal Cortex
Random Allocation
Surveys and Questionnaires
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
English
BACKGROUND
A key feature of major depressive disorders is the lack of emotional processing such as empathy. To counter this, we tested, if brain stimulation on areas rich of mirror neurons on the left inferior parietal lobe (lIPL) might improve emotional processing, including empathy, compared to a standard brain stimulation on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC).
METHODS
Twenty inpatients (mean age: 38.9 years; 55% females) with severe major depressive disorders and stable treatment of sertraline at therapeutic dosages were randomly assigned to either the rTMS condition on areas of mirror neuron stimulation, that is, the left inferior parietal lobe (rTMS-lIPL), or to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rTMS-lDLPFC; control condition). Interventions lasted for two consecutive weeks (2 × 5 interventions of 30'). At baseline and at the end of the study, patients completed questionnaires on current mood state and emotion regulation. In parallel, experts rated patients' depression severity.
RESULTS
Mood improved over time, but more so in the control condition, compared to the rTMS-lIPL condition (medium-large effect sizes). Emotion regulation improved over time; specifically, empathy improved, but only in the rTMS-lIPL condition, compared to the control condition. Symptoms of depression decreased over time, but more so in the rTMS- lIPL condition.
CONCLUSIONS
The pattern of results suggests that among inpatients with severe major depressive disorders, and compared to a standard procedure of rTMS, rTMS targeting on areas rich of mirror neurons appeared to improve emotion regulation, and specifically empathy, while there was no advantage on acute mood.
A key feature of major depressive disorders is the lack of emotional processing such as empathy. To counter this, we tested, if brain stimulation on areas rich of mirror neurons on the left inferior parietal lobe (lIPL) might improve emotional processing, including empathy, compared to a standard brain stimulation on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC).
METHODS
Twenty inpatients (mean age: 38.9 years; 55% females) with severe major depressive disorders and stable treatment of sertraline at therapeutic dosages were randomly assigned to either the rTMS condition on areas of mirror neuron stimulation, that is, the left inferior parietal lobe (rTMS-lIPL), or to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rTMS-lDLPFC; control condition). Interventions lasted for two consecutive weeks (2 × 5 interventions of 30'). At baseline and at the end of the study, patients completed questionnaires on current mood state and emotion regulation. In parallel, experts rated patients' depression severity.
RESULTS
Mood improved over time, but more so in the control condition, compared to the rTMS-lIPL condition (medium-large effect sizes). Emotion regulation improved over time; specifically, empathy improved, but only in the rTMS-lIPL condition, compared to the control condition. Symptoms of depression decreased over time, but more so in the rTMS- lIPL condition.
CONCLUSIONS
The pattern of results suggests that among inpatients with severe major depressive disorders, and compared to a standard procedure of rTMS, rTMS targeting on areas rich of mirror neurons appeared to improve emotion regulation, and specifically empathy, while there was no advantage on acute mood.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1016/j.jad.2019.07.019
- PMID 31323594
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/160247
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