EEG-Spectra-Guided Personalized rTMS in PTSD with Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders: A Case Series

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition often requiring novel therapeutic approaches.
• Personalized repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (PrTMS) utilizes individualized protocols for neuromodulation.
• Optimizing alpha brainwave activity via spectral electroencephalography (EEG) is a potential therapeutic target.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the therapeutic outcomes of PrTMS in two patients diagnosed with PTSD.
• To assess the efficacy of PrTMS guided by quantitative rating scales and spectral EEG alpha wave optimization.

Main Methods:

• Two patients with PTSD received PrTMS treatments.
• Treatment protocols were informed by standardized rating scales and weekly spectral EEG measurements.
• Symptom severity was tracked using PCL-5, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and SCI questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Significant symptom improvement was observed across all psychometric assessments.
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scores reduced by an average of 20.5 points by week 4.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores decreased by 7 and 8.5 points, respectively, by week 7.
• Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI) scores increased by 6 points by the end of the 7-week treatment period.

Conclusions:

• PrTMS, guided by spectral EEG, demonstrated therapeutic benefits for PTSD symptoms in this case series.
• The findings support previous research on EEG-directed personalized neuromodulation for PTSD.
• Further research is warranted to establish the long-term efficacy and generalizability of PrTMS for PTSD.