Effect of Self-administered Transcranial Direct Stimulation in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized, Single-blinded Clinical Trial

Objective@#In numerous studies that have addressed transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) devices, participants visit the hospital regularly and undergo stimulation directed by health professionals. This method has the advantage of being able to deliver accurate stimuli in a controlled environment, but it does not adopt the merits of tDCS portability and applicability. Thus, it may be necessary to investigate how self-administered tDCS treatment at home affects depression-related symptoms. @*Methods@#In this randomized, single-blinded clinical trial, 58 patients with major depressive disorder were assigned to active and sham tDCS stimulation groups, and treatment responses were evaluated biweekly over six weeks. Both active and sham tDCS treatment group were treated with escitalopram. All participants were instructed the protocol and usage of at-home tDCS device, and self-administered tDCS treatment at their home. @*Results@#The beck-depression inventory score decreased significantly as treatment progressed, and the degree of symptom improvement was significantly higher in the active group than in the sham tDCS group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in other indices, including the Hamilton Depression Scale. @*Conclusion@#These results suggest that patient-administered tDCS treatment might be effective in improving subjective symptoms of depression.

Heart and Brain Interaction of Psychiatric Illness: A Review Focused on Heart Rate Variability, Cognitive Function, and Quantitative Electroencephalography

Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects beat-to-beat variability in the heart rate due to the dynamic interplay of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. HRV is considered an index of the functional status of the autonomic nervous system. A decrease in HRV is thus observed in individuals with autonomic dysfunction. Abnormal HRV has been reported in a range of mental disorders. In this review, we give an overview of HRV in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), schizophrenia, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one of whose core symptoms is cognitive dysfunction. The association between HRV and cognitive function is highlighted in this review. This review consists of three main sections. In the first section, we examine how HRV in patients with MDD, schizophrenia, and PTSD is characterized, and how it is different when compared to that in healthy controls. In the second section, beyond the heart itself, we discuss the intimate connection between the heart and the brain, focusing on how HRV interacts with quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) in the context of physiological changes in the sleep cycle. Lastly, we finish the review with the examination of the association between HRV and cognitive function. The overall findings indicate that the reduction in HRV is one of main manifestations in MDD, schizophrenia, and PTSD, and also more generally HRV is closely linked to the change in qEEG and also to individual differences in cognitive performance.

The Efficacy of Miniaturized Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Patients with Depression

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at a high frequency using a miniaturized device compared to standard rTMS and sham rTMS for the treatment of depression. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with depression were randomly assigned to either 15 days of miniaturized, standard, or sham rTMS. The stimulation consisted of 60 trains of 5 seconds at 10 Hz for 30 minutes. Clinical measures were assessed at baseline and on the final day of the stimulation. RESULTS: A repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of time and a time by group interaction on Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores. There were no significant correlations between individual motor thresholds and changes of clinical outcomes. Our results revealed a significant reduction in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression in the miniaturized and standard groups compared to the sham group. CONCLUSION: The antidepressant utility of miniaturized rTMS using subthreshold stimulation was comparable to that of standard stimulation.

Frontal Alpha Asymmetry, Heart Rate Variability, and Positive Resources in Bereaved Family Members with Suicidal Ideation after the Sewol Ferry Disaster

OBJECTIVE: After the Sewol ferry disaster, bereavement with suicidal ideation was a critical mental health problem that was accompanied by various neuropsychological symptoms. This study examined the frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), heart rate variability (HRV), and several psychological symptoms in bereaved family members (BFM) after the Sewol ferry disaster. METHODS: Eighty-three BFM after the Sewol ferry disaster were recruited. We assessed FAA, HRV, and psychological symptoms, including depression, post-traumatic stress, post-traumatic growth factor, anxiety, grief, and positive resources, between BFM with the presence and absence of current suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Compared to BFM without suicidal ideation, BFM with suicidal ideation showed a higher FAA with right dominance. Significant differences in psychological symptoms were observed between the groups. In BFM with suicidal ideation, the low: high frequency (LF:HF) ratio correlated with social resources and support. CONCLUSION: The FAA and LF:HF ratio may be biomarkers that represent the pathological conditions of BFM with suicidal ideation. If researched further, they may shed light on the interaction between bereavement with suicidal ideation and social resources for therapeutic intervention.