Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 28, 2026
MRI-guided dmPFC-rTMS as a Treatment for Treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder
Published on: August 11, 2015
Lateralized hippocampal volume increase following high-frequency left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic
Shunsuke Hayasaka1,2,3, Motoaki Nakamura1,2,3, Yoshihiro Noda1,4,5
1Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Kanagawa Psychiatric Center, Yokohama, Japan.
Aim:
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been applied as a treatment for patients with treatment-resistant depression in recent years, and a large body of evidence has demonstrated its therapeutic efficacy through stimulating neuronal plasticity. The aim of this study was to investigate structural alterations in the hippocampus (HIPP) and amygdala (AM) following conventional rTMS in patients with depression.
Methods:
Twenty-eight patients with depression underwent 10 daily 20-Hz left prefrontal rTMS over 2 weeks. The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was identified using magnetic resonance imaging-guided neuronavigation prior to stimulation. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained at baseline and after the completion of rTMS sessions. The therapeutic effects of rTMS were evaluated with the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17 ), and the volumes of the HIPP and AM were measured by a manual tracing method.
Results:
Statistical analyses revealed a significant volume increase in the left HIPP (+3.4%) after rTMS but no significant volume change in the AM. No correlation was found between the left HIPP volume increase and clinical improvement, as measured by the HAM-D17 .
Conclusion:
The present study demonstrated that conventional left prefrontal rTMS increases the HIPP volume in the stimulated side, indicating a remote neuroplastic effect through the cingulum bundle.
