Challenges in Comparing the Acute Cognitive Outcomes of High-Frequency rTMS vs. ECT in Major Depression [Review]

TITLE
Challenges in Comparing the Acute Cognitive Outcomes of High-Frequency rTMS vs. ECT in Major Depression [Review]

AUTHORS
Kedzior KK; Schuchinsky M; Gerkensmeier I; Loo C.

SOURCE
Journal of Psychiatric Research. 91:14-17, 2017 Aug.

ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to systematically compare the cognitive outcomes of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in head-to-head studies with major depression (MDD) patients. A systematic literature search identified six studies with 219 MDD patients that were too heterogeneous to reliably detect meaningful differences in acute cognitive outcomes after ECT vs. HF-rTMS. Cognitive effects of brain stimulation vary depending on the timeframe and methods of assessment, stimulation parameters, and maintenance treatment. Thus, acute and longer-term differences in cognitive outcomes both need to be investigated at precisely defined timeframes and with similar instruments assessing comparable functions.