[Transcranial magnetic stimulation in neurotic depression]

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied in combination with psychotherapy in patients with neurotic depression, including 15 patients of the experimental group and 14 patients of the control one. 10 sessions of daily TMS for the patients from the experimental group (0.015 T, 40 pulses per sec) were performed at the same time for 20 min (twice for 10 min with 5-min interval) in a room which excluded any external stimulation. TMS was performed by contact method: 5 cm coil was applied to the left prefrontal area. The control group received the imitation of TMS-procedure stimulation. The improvement of mental state was in 13 patients of experimental group and in 3 of control one. The course of TMS resulted in a significant attenuation of depression by the Hamilton Depression Rating scale (from 22.9 to 8.6) and the Anxiety Inventory (from 39.4 to 26.6), that was significantly higher in comparison with the control. There weren't found any TMS-related changes in blood pressure and pulse rate as well as any pathological EEG symptoms.