OFC rTMS in Emotionally Unstable and Depressed Patients

Orbitofrontal Cortex Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Patients With Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder and Depression

Treatment of depression with conventional transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has shown high evidence using high-frequency left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) stimulation. Recently, it could be demonstrated that treatment of the right orbitofrontal cortex may be effective in patients who did not respond to conventional DLPFC rTMS. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) seem to be involved in the etiopathology of emotionally instable personality disorders. Thus, the present one-arm trial is a pilot study investigating if OFC rTMS is feasable, tolerable and effective.

Inclusion Criteria:

• ICD-10: F60.30 or F60.31
• depressive symptoms and HAMD-21 score of at least 7
• sex: female and male
• residence in Germany and German speaking
• written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• meeting the contraindications for transcranial magnetic stimulation (electric devices or metal implants in the body, e.g. cardiac pace maker, insulin pump)
• neurological disorders (e.g. cerebrovascular events, neurodegenerative disorder, epilepsy, brain malformation, severe head trauma)
• participation in another study parallel to the Trial
• other mental or somatic illness which is not compatible with participation according to the principal investigator
• pregnancy or breastfeeding period
• psychiatric confinement