ABSTRACT
In order to investigate the mechanisms of the therapeutic effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in patients with depression, we studied the dynamics of clinical parameters, a number of cognitive functions, and the spectral structure of resting EEG in 20 patients with pharmacoresistant depression in the course of combined treatment including TMS. It was shown that short course (10 sessions) of TMS significantly enhanced and accelerated the effect of antidepressants. The course of TMS contributed not only to the reduction of depressive symptoms but also to the improvement of general condition and the recovery of some impaired cognitive functions. The therapeutic effect of TMS seems to be provided by the activation of not only the prefrontal cortex itself but also of some subcortical structures closely linked with it. Thus, TMS appears to be a promising non-drug method for the treatment of clinical conditions and for the correction of brain functional state in patients with depression, including the use in combined treatment of depressive disorders in cases of pharmacoresistance.
