Promising Pathways: Advancing Treatment for Adolescent Depression Using Accelerated Brain Stimulation
Breaking New Ground: Accelerated iTBS Studies Offer Hope for Adolescent Depression Treatment
OCT 10
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n our latest study (Nakano et al., 2023), our team confronts the growing problem of adolescent depression. Recent data paints a stark picture – the number of teenagers grappling with depression is surging. Even more concerning is that less than half of these severely affected adolescents receive the necessary treatment (National Institute of Mental Health, 2022).
Our Study: Accelerated Brain Stimulation
We retrospectively investigated the potential of an innovative treatment approach known as accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) for alleviating depression symptoms in six adolescents. While iTBS has already been demonstrated to be a safe and effective form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for adults, preliminary evidence suggests its potential benefit for adolescents as well (Muir et al., 2020).
Our study goes a step further by not only exploring the application of iTBS in adolescents but also implementing individualized targeting methods for precise brain stimulation.
A key feature of accelerated iTBS is that multiple treatment sessions are delivered in a day to produce more rapid antidepressant effects compared to conventional once-per-day rTMS protocols. Additionally, we applied individualized targeting techniques to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a brain region involved in depression.
One targeting approach took into account individual differences in head shape and size, while the other approach assessed how the DLPFC interacts functionally with deeper brain structures, utilizing a method known as resting-state functional connectivity.
What Our Study Reveals
Remarkably, three out of the six patients treated achieved remission, meaning they improved to the point of being virtually asymptomatic. Two other patients responded remarkably well, with a significant reduction in their depression scores. Even the single patient who didn't have a clinical response experienced benefit from the treatment with no adverse effects.
The Bigger Picture
Our research signifies an important step in the battle against adolescent depression. It not only demonstrates that accelerated iTBS is safe for adolescents but also hints at its potential to bring about rapid improvements in their mental health.
In a world where the number of depressed adolescents is on the rise, our research offers hope and underscores the urgent need to prioritize evidence-based mental health interventions to promote our youth's mental health and well-being.
References:
Nakano E, Sedaros P, Siddiqi S, Meng N, DeSouza DD, Carreon D. Accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation for the treatment of adolescent depression: a case series. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports 2023; 14, 100648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2023.100648
National Institute of Mental Health, 2022. Major Depression. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). URL https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression (accessed 9.10.23).
Muir O, Ruiz D, Abbott-Sinclair R, MacMillan C. TMS treatment with the H1 coil in youth age 10-21 effective in ameliorating MDD symptoms. Brain Stimulation: Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation 2020; 13(6): 1854. https://www.brainstimjrnl.com/article/S1935-861X(20)30174-1/fulltext
