The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology

Table of Contents - 2010 - Volume 13, Issue 09  

Research Article

Increased sensitivity for angry faces in depressive disorder following 2 weeks of 2-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to the right parietal cortex

Dennis J. L. G. Schuttera1 c1, Jack van Honka1a2, Martin Lamana3, Anton C. Vergouwena4 and Frank Koerselmana4a5

a1 Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

a2 Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, J-Block Groote Schuur Hospital Observatory, South Africa

a3 Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, St Lucas Andreas Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

a4 Department of Psychiatry, St Lucas Andreas Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

a5 Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Abstract

According to the cognitive neuropsychological hypothesis of antidepressant action, the onset of subjectively experienced therapeutic effects to treatment is preceded by favourable changes in psychological functioning that can be measured by implicit methods. The aim of this study was to examine additional data to explore this hypothesis in an intention-to-treat repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) study targeting the right parietal cortex. Changes in depression scores from baseline and the sensitivity for recognizing emotional facial expressions were studied in 28 patients with depressive disorder receiving ten sessions of real (n=14) or sham (n=14) rTMS treatments in a double-blind, sham-controlled design. In the patient group results showed significantly higher sensitivity for recognizing angry facial expressions in response to receiving real compared to receiving sham rTMS treatment. Overall mood improvement was similar across real and sham rTMS treatments. However, the sensitivity for recognizing angry facial expressions was correlated to the percentage decrease in depression scores. These results provide the first preliminary support for the cognitive neuropsychological hypothesis of antidepressant action in rTMS treatment.

(Received February 08 2010)

(Reviewed March 10 2010)

(Revised May 17 2010)

(Accepted May 19 2010)

(Online publication June 29 2010)

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Correspondence:

c1 Address for correspondence: D. J. L. G. Schutter, Ph.D., Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 30 253 4369 Fax: +31 30 253 4511 Email: d.schutter@uu.nl

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