![Sample our Behavioral Sciences journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110801/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Behavioral-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
Background
A high proportion of adolescents with major depressive disorder currently do not respond to conventional treatment. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising treatment for major depressive disorder.
Case
We report on 3 cases of adolescents with suicidal ideation receiving 7 daily 10 Hz left prefrontal rTMS combined with pharmacotherapy treatment over 1 week for major depressive episode. The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was identified using magnetic resonance imaging-guided neuronavigation prior to stimulation. The suicidal ideation of these patients lessened significantly following rTMS treatment. Regarding adverse effects, symptoms of hypomania occurred in two patients since day 4, but no other side effects were found.
Conclusion
Neuronavigation-guided high-dose rTMS may be an effective and feasible treatment option for depressive adolescents with suicidal ideation. Caution over treatment-emergent mania/hypomania associated with rTMS is required.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the patients for their consent to publish this article. This work was supported by grants 2015C03040 from the Major Subject of Zhejiang Province, grants 81301158 and 81601182 from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, grant 2016YFC1307100 from the National Key Research and Development Program of China, and grants 2013RCB005 from the Department of Health Foundation of Zhejiang Province. The funding sources had no role in the study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of the manuscript; or decision to submit the paper for publication.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.