Clinical Trial on Efficacy of rTMS to Improve ECT in Treatment-Resistant Depression
Clinical Trial on Efficacy of rTMS to Improve ECT in Treatment-Resistant Depression
It's a prospective, multicentric, randomized, controlled study concerning 56 patients with
 treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the
 efficacy of priming repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) sessions before
 Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treatment of TRD patients. The primary outcome will be
 the depressive symptoms intensity measured with the Hamilton Rating Scale For Depression
 (HAMD-21 items) after 5 ECT. The secondary outcome is to evaluate the safety and most
 particularly the cognitive effects of this association.
Included patients are adults, aged between 18 and 70 years, with major depression (Hamilton
 Rating scale for Depression, HAMD ≥ 15). Patients don't have any experience concerning
 repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS).

 Patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) were assigned to two treatment groups in
 addition to their current pharmacotherapy regimen : one group received 5 active-rTMS before
 Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the other one received sham-rTMS before ECT. The
 depressive symptoms and the cognitive functions are evaluated before rTMS, after 5 rTMS and
 after 5 ECT.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with Major Depressive Disorder (HAMD≥15)

 -  Level of resistance ≥ 3 (Thase and Rush)

 -  Participants who gave their informed, written consent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Contraindication of Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), repeated Transcranial Magnetic
 Stimulation (rTMS), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), anesthesia

 -  History of epilepsy; severe neurological or systemic disorder that could significantly
 affect cognition

 -  Pregnancy