Seasonal pattern and depression outcomes from repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

• Published in: Psychiatry research 2023-11, Vol.329, p.115525-115525, Article 115525
• Main Authors: Ng, Enoch, Nestor, Sean M., Rabin, Jennifer S., Hamani, Clement, Lipsman, Nir, Giacobbe, Peter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Depression; Major depressive disorder; Neuromodulation; Neurovegetative symptoms; Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; Seasonal affective disorder; Seasonal depression; TMS; With seasonal pattern
• ISSN: 0165-1781; 1872-7123
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115525

•We analyzed data of depressed patients receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation.•Nearly half of these patients had depression with a seasonal pattern.•Patients with seasonal pattern improved similar to those without seasonal pattern. Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) may exhibit a seasonal pattern. The impact of a seasonal pattern in depressive symptoms on rTMS outcomes is unexplored. A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with MDD receiving open-label high frequency rTMS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Having a seasonal pattern was defined as scoring ≥ 12 on the Personal Inventory for Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (PIDS). Primary outcomes included improvement in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and remission. Secondary analyses included the use of the self-rated Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) to assess for changes in atypical neurovegetative symptoms. Multiple linear regression, multiple logistic regression, and linear mixed effects analyses were performed. 46 % (58/127) of the sample had a seasonal pattern. Seasonal pattern did not significantly influence improvement in HAMD (PIDS