Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) effective therapy for depression
Further research on TPS for depression presented at CINP 2024 Tokyo Congress
Depression currently affects around 350 million people worldwide – according to the WHO, this is around five percent of the world’s population1 – and represents a considerable burden for those affected and their environment In view of the high prevalence, serious consequences and increasing numbers of cases, it is essential to research and provide new and effective treatment approaches. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (NIBS) such as Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) offer promising opportunities to improve the quality of life of those affected as innovative, outpatient therapies. Research in this area is therefore of the utmost importance to expand access to effective treatments and promote mental health worldwide.
Further randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled pilot study demonstrates benefits of TPS
Studies have already shown that, in addition to its well-researched efficacy and safety in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s dementia or Parkinson’s disease, the neuromodulation procedure Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) can also be a promising and effective therapy for depression (Major Depressive Disorder – MDD): both for mild2,3 as well as in severe and treatment-resistant depression4, the targeted influencing of neuronal activity in the brain by the low-energy shock waves of TPS can change or regulate the functions of certain neuronal networks and thus achieve therapeutic effects. In the context of the treatment, synaptic plasticity (see also: What is neuroplasticity? ) and neuronal excitability are also to be influenced, thereby alleviating the symptoms of the disease.
At the CINP 2024 Tokyo Congress (35th World Congress Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum) held from May 23-26 at the Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan, and attended by over 2,600 experts from more than 50 countries, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, presented their latest research paper “Transcranial Pulse Stimulation for the treatment of major depressive disorder: A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, pilot trial”.
Under the direction of Penny P.I. Qin, 42 patients with depression (MDD) were included in the pilot study and randomly divided into an active group (n = 20) and a sham group (n = 22). The subjects received three TPS treatments per week over a period of four weeks. The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was treated with 1,000 shock wave impulses (pulse frequency: 4 Hz, energy: 0.2-0.25 mJ/mm2), marked by transformation of the coordinates (x = -38, y = +44, z = +26 mm) in MNI space. The effect of TPS treatment on depressive symptoms was measured using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).
Result: TPS shows promising antidepressant effect in MDD
According to the authors, a promising antidepressant effect was observed in the active TPS group. This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled TPS pilot study also shows that Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) is suitable for the treatment of patients with MDD. Further studies with larger samples are pending to determine the extent of the treatment effect more precisely and to investigate the modulation events in the brain using functional MRIs.
It should be added that Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) is also used successfully and with repeatable results in the treatment of depression (as an “off-label” therapy) in the clinics and practices that use TPS. The doctors hope that as many patients as possible will be able to access this gentle, outpatient and non-invasive treatment method in the near future.
The poster for the pilot study by Penny P.I. Qin and colleagues from Hong Kong Polytechnic University can be viewed in the “Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) – Studies, Posters and Literature” section:
Sources:
1 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
2 https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2333
3 https://alzheimer-science.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/TPS-Young-Adults-Depression.pdf
4 https://alzheimer-science.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Long-term-effects-TPS-Depression-Alexius-Josef-Clinic.pdf
