EFFECT OF TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION IN POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has become, over t he last few years, a promising avenue for new research in affective di sorders. In this study we have evaluated the clinical effect of slow T MS on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods: Ten PTSD patients were given one session of slow TMS with 30 pulses of 1 m/sec each, 15 to each side of the motor cortex. Results: Symptoms of PTSD were assessed by using three psychological assessment scales, at four different time points. In this first, pilot, open study, TMS was found to be effective in lowering the core symptoms of PTSD: avoidance (as measured by the Impact of Event Scale), anxiety, and somatization (as measured by the Symptom Check List-90). A general clinical improvement was found (as measured by the Clinical Global Impression scale); howe ver, the effect was rather short and transient. Conclusions: The prese nt study showed TMS to be a safe and tolerable intervention with possi bly indications of therapeutic efficacy for PTSD patients. Biol Psychi atry 1998;44:52-55 (C) 1998 Society of Biological Psychiatry.