Table 1.
Review of maintenance rTMS treatment studies
| Authors | Disorder (sample size) | Stimulation frequency & intensity | Number of stimuli per session | Initial treatment schedule | Maintenance treatment schedule | Stated result of maintenance treatment | Target area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O’Reardon et al. (2007) | MDD and HA (n=2) | 10 Hz at 120% MT | 3,000 | q.d. for 12 weeks | PRN @ 2 sessions QWK for 15–18 months | HA amelioration | Left DPFC |
| Loo et al. (2007) | MDD (n=22) | 10 Hz at 110% MT | 1,500 30 trains, 5 sec on/25 off |
b.i.d for 2 weeks | q.d. for 6 weeks | Added improvement | Left PFC |
| O’Reardon et al. (2005) | MDD (n=10) | 10 Hz at 100% MT | 3,000 40–60 trains, 5 sec on/25 off |
Not defined | 1–3 sessions QWK over 6 years | Marked or moderate improvement | Left PFC |
| Demirtas-Tatlidede et al. (2008) | MDD (n=16) | 10 Hz at 90% MT | 1,600 20 trains, 8 sec on/52 off |
q.d. for 9 days | Variable with mean of 4 courses over 20 months | 50% of patients with improvement | Left DPFC |
| Benadhira et al. (2005) | MDD (n=11) | 10 Hz at 80% MT | 1,600 26 trains |
q.d. for 2 weeks then 3 QWK for 2 weeks | 1 QWK for 1 month then 1 session biweekly for 1 month | Initial improvement sustained | Left DPFC |
| Li et al. (2004) | BD (n=7) | 5 Hz at 110% MT | 1,600 40 trains, 8 sec on |
q.d. for 2 weeks | Approximately. 1 session QWK over 12 months | Relapse prevented in some patients | Left PFC |
| Dell’osso (2009) | BD (n=1) | 1 Hz at 110% MT | 300 | q.d. for 3 weeks | Periodic sessions over 6 months | Initial therapeutic gains maintained | Right DPFC |
| Poulet et al. (2008) | SCHZ (n=1) | 1 Hz at 100% MT | 1,000 | b.i.d. for 5 days | Initial Tx plus b.i.d. once per month | Remission and stabilization of AH | Left TP |
| Thirthalli et al. (2008) | SCHZ (n=1) | 1 Hz at 100% MT | 900 | q.d. for 1 week | 1 session QWK for 6 weeks then 1 session biweekly for 12 weeks then 1 session per month for 3 months | Remission of AH | Left T3-P3 |
| Kakuda et al. (2009) | Aphasia (n=2) | 1 Hz at 90% MT | 1,200 | 10 sessions over 6 days | 1 session QWK for 3 months | Safe and feasible for aphasia treatment | Left PSTG |
| Mennemeier et al. (2008) | Tinnitus (n=1) | 1 Hz at 110% MT | 1,800 | 5 sessions per week | PRN @ 3 sessions biweekly over 1 month | Sustained reduction of tinnitus loudness and obtrusiveness. | Right SLTG |
| Langguth et al. (2008) | Tinnitus (n=1) | 1 Hz at 110% MT | 2,000 | q.d. for 2 weeks | q.d. for 1 week then every 3 months over 36 months | Suppression of tinnitus | Left TC |
MDD – major depressive disorder, HA – head ache, BD – bipolar disorder, SCHZ – schizophrenia, AH – auditory hallucinations, PRN – as needed, q.d. – once per day, b.i.d. – two times per day, QWK – every week, PFC – prefrontal cortex, DPFC – dorsolateral PFC, TP – temporoparietal, T3 & T4 – coordinates of 10–20 system for EEG electrode placement, PSTG – posterior superior temporal gyrus, SLTG – superior lateral temporal gyrus, TC – temporal cortex.