Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of eating disorders: A review of safety and efficacy. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rachid, Fady
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 269(2018)
• Page Start: 145
• Page End: 156
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Eating disorders -- Food craving -- Dietary restriction -- rTMS -- Safety -- Efficacy; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.08.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Highlights: Eating disorders are a significant public health concern; less than half of the patients recover with treatments; repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation could be a therapeutic alternative. In this review, some studies showed relatively positive results with safe outcomes and with reduction of both craving and eating behaviors with active stimulation versus sham. The evidence supporting rTMS for eating disorders is somewhat promising; future rTMS studies need to confirm the short- and long-term safety and efficacy of rTMS for the treatment of eating disorders. Abstract: Eating disorders are a significant public health concern accounting for significant morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic approaches are available to treat eating disorders but less than half of the patients recover. Therapeutic alternatives are needed such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. I reviewed studies that evaluated the safety and efficacy of this technique for the treatment of eating disorders. The electronic literature on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, theta burst and deep transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of eating disorders was retrieved. The findings were quite heterogeneous in results with some studies showing relatively positive results with reduction of both craving and eating behaviors with active stimulation versus sham. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was safe. Research in this field was limited by the small number of studies and sample sizes, diversity of stimulation parameters, questionable placebo conditions, the lack of a sham-controlled design and the use of subjective scales lacking in sensitivity. The evidence supporting rTMS for eating disorders is somewhat promising. Future studies on high frequency rTMS of the LDLPFC/DMPFC with increased statistical power, rigorous randomization, outcome measures and optimal parameters are needed to confirm the short- and long-term safety and efficacy of rTMS for the treatment of eating disorders.