Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is being proposed as a method of ch
oice for the treatment of clinical depression, yet its action in the brain
is still not well understood. In previous studies we found that TMS has a l
ong-term effect on reactivity of the hippocampus to perforant path stimulat
ion. Since the efficacy of antidepressants is highly age-dependent, we stud
ied possible age-related effects of TMS on hippocampal evoked responses. Yo
ung adult (3 months), aging (10 months) and aged (24-26 months) awake rats
were subjected to daily TMS for one week, followed by measurements of sever
al parameters of reactivity to perforant path stimulation in the anesthetiz
ed rat. TMS did not affect responses of the hippocampus to single perforant
path stimulation, but reduced drastically paired-pulse and frequency depen
dent depression in the young and aging but not the old rats. Likewise, TMS
increased LTP expression in the young but not the old rats, and reduced the
efficacy of serotonin modulation of reactivity of the hippocampus, in the
young but not the old rats. Thus, long term effects of chronic TMS on local
GABAergic inhibition are highly age dependent. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science I
nc. All rights reserved.