Purpose: Cognitive dysfunction is common in individuals with depression and these cognitive deficits may be associated with a risk of suicide. Therefore, the identification of the cognitive functions of depressed patients and the introduction of effective interventions on these factors are highly important. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) to improve selective attention, working memory, and response time of depressed individuals with and without a history of suicide. Materials and Methods: This applied quasi-experimental study was conducted based on a pretest-posttest design. The population included 40 depressed patients referring to the clinics of Mashhad, Iran, in 2020. The samples were divided into four groups, namely individuals with a history of suicide subjected to treatment with rTMS, without a history of suicide receiving treatment with rTMS, with a history of suicide undergoing treatment with TBS, and without a history of suicide administered with TBS (n = 10 each). The data were collected using the Stroop Color and Word Test, Corsi block test, and reaction time tests and statistically analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: The results confirmed the effectiveness of the intervention on the congruent reaction time, incongruent reaction time, working memory, simple reaction time, and selective reaction time in all four study groups (P < 0. 05). The results of multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the group had a significant effect on the variables of congruent reaction time, simple reaction time, and selective reaction time (P < 0. 05),however, it had no significant effect on the variables of incongruent reaction time and working memory (P > 0. 05). Conclusion: Compared to the rTMS method, the TBS had a greater effect on the variables of congruent reaction time, simple reaction time, and selective reaction time.

Time-dependent reversal of primed burst-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) was investigated in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus following theta pulse stimulation (TPS) of Schaffer collaterals. The effect of TPS (5Hz, 900 pulses) on primed burst potentiatin was evaluated through the analysis of the slope of population excitatory post-synaptic potentials (pEPSPs) and amplitude of population spikes (PSs). TPS had no lasting effect on baseline synaptic responses, while produced a lasting depression of previously potentiated responses when delivered 3 mm after LTP induction. TPS produced progressively lower depotentiation at longer delays, until it had no effect 20 min after LTP induction. These results suggest that the hippocarnpal theta rhythm promotes the induction of LTP as well as its subsequent reversal. Reversal of LTP may function to refine memories and prevent saturation of the storage capacity of the neural network.

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS), in Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) patients using resting-state Electroencephalography (EEG). iTBS is a novel form of magnetic stimulation with the potential to produce similar anti-depressant effects but in a much shorter time. Materials and Methods: In two stimulation protocols, 78 patients with TRD received 20 sessions. Depression symptoms were assessed based on the changes in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) scores at baseline, after the last session, and at 4 weeks after treatment. Resting-state EEG was measured at baseline and after the last session. EEG power spectrum was extracted and power changes were evaluated statistically. Results: There was no significant difference in response and remission rates between the two groups. Following 10 Hz rTMS and iTBS, the clinical indexes improved by 48.5 ± 19.8 % (p-value < 0.05) and 50.4 ± 21.7 % (p-value < 0.05), respectively. There was a significant reduction in the mean depression scores for both treatment groups (p < 0.05). Following treatment, TRD patients showed considerable enhancement in gamma power at the left DLPFC site (F3, F5, and F7 electrode) in the iTBS group and significant increases in delta power at the F3 and F7 electrode sites in the 10 Hz rTMS group. Conclusion: iTBS provides clinical advantages, which showed that the results did not contrast altogether with results from a standard course of rTMS treatment. It might be invaluable from a clinical, benefit, and understanding perspective. Biomarkers of clinical outcomes such as resting-state brain activity measured with EEG may save individuals worthless treatment and moderately limited clinical assets.

Background: Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocol that influences cortical excitability and motor function recovery.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of iTBS on manual dexterity and hand motor imagery in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.Methods: Thirty-six MS patients were non-randomly assigned into sham (control) or iTBS groups. Then, iTBS was delivered to the primary motor cortex for ten days over two consecutive weeks. The patients’ manual dexterity was assessed using the nine-hole peg test (9HPT) and the Box and Block Test (BBT), while the hand motor imagery was assessed with the hand mental rotation task (HMRT).Results: iTBS group showed a reduction in the time required to complete the 9HPT (mean difference=-3.05, P=0.002), and an increase in the number of blocks transferred in one minute in the BBT (mean difference=8.9, P=0.001) when compared to the control group. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the reaction time (P=0.761) and response accuracy rate (P=0.482) in the HMRT.Conclusions: When iTBS was applied over the primary motor cortex, it significantly improved manual dexterity, but had no significant effect on the hand motor imagery ability in MS patients.

Over the last several decades, opioid diversion, misuse, and over-prescription have run rampant in the United States. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been FDA approved for treatment for a primary indication of neuropathic limb pain that is resistant to more conservative medical therapy. The disorders qualifi ed for treatment include neuropathic, post-surgical, post-amputation, osteodegenerative, and pain related to vascular disease. Some of the most frequently cited conditions for treatment of SCS include failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) Type I and Type II, and post-herpetic neuralgias. Developments in SCS systems have led to the diff erentiation between the delivered electromechanical waveform patterns, including tonic, burst, and high-frequency. Burst SCS mitigates traditional paresthesia due to expedited action potential and off ers improved pain relief. Burst SCS has been shown in available studies to be non-inferior to the traditional SCS, which can cause pain paresthesia in patients who already have chronic pain. Burst SCS does not seem to cause or need the paresthesia seen in traditional SCS, making SCS not tolerable to patients. Moreover, some studies suggest that burst SCS may decrease opioid consumption in patients with chronic pain. This can make burst SCS an extremely useful tool in the battle against chronic pain and the raging opioid epidemic. As of now, more research needs to be performed to further delineate the eff ectiveness and long-term safety of this device.

Introduction: Delirium is a fatal but potentially reversible disorder of the central nervous system that imposes high costs on health systems. This study aims to evaluate the effect of intermittent theta-burst stimulation on the severity and course of delirium disorder. Methods: This is a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled pilot study. The study participants were randomly allocated into the active (active intermittent theta-burst stimulation) and sham groups. The severity of delirium was assessed 15 minutes before the intervention and 15 minutes after that by the Neelon and Champagne (NEECHAM) confusion scale. Results: In the active group, total and subscale scores of NEECHAM significantly decreased after intervention (P<0. 05). Although no statistical difference was found in the control group regarding the subscale scores of NEECHAM, the difference in the total scores before and after the sham intervention was statistically significant. Conclusion: Carrying one session of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex can reduce the delirium severity in a short period, although it will not decrease the number of delirium cases three days after the intervention.