Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation reduced PHQ-9 scores by 55% and GAD-7 scores by 22.2% in a 69-year-old female patient with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder comorbid with atrial fibrillation over 8 weeks.
Case Report (n=1)
No
Does rTMS improve symptoms of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder in a patient with comorbid atrial fibrillation?
1 patient (69-year-old female) with recurrent Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) refractory to 2 antidepressants, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and chronic atrial fibrillation.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) using 36 DASH protocol treatments over 8 weeks (10 Hz, 3000 pulses, 40 pulses per train, 75 trains per session, intertrain interval 11 seconds).
Percentage change in initial and post-treatment Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scores at 8 weeks.patient reported
rTMS may be a safe and effective treatment for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder in patients with comorbid atrial fibrillation, potentially reducing the burden of polypharmacy.
Effect estimate: 55% reduction
Absolute Event Rate: 9% vs 20%
This paper examines the utilization of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to treat recurrent Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in a patient comorbid with atrial fibrillation (AF), a type of common heart arrhythmia. Symptoms of AF can increase the risk of MDD and GAD, negatively impacting quality of life. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is an FDA-approved modality for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) and has shown promise for off-label treatment of anxiety disorders. Quantitative psychometric questionnaires were administered weekly, using the PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), which revealed symptom reductions of 55% and 22.2%, respectively.
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Vipul Reddy
AdventHealth Tampa
Nadia Frutkin
College of the Desert
Abeer Prakash Singh
International Neuromodulation Society
SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología
Frontiers in Psychiatry
University of California, Riverside
University of Vermont
Eötvös Loránd University
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Reddy et al. (Wed,) conducted a case report in Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder comorbid with atrial fibrillation (n=1). repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was evaluated on reduction in depressive symptoms measured by PHQ-9 scores (55% reduction). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation reduced PHQ-9 scores by 55% and GAD-7 scores by 22.2% in a 69-year-old female patient with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder comorbid with atrial fibrillation over 8 weeks.
synapsesocial.com/papers/69a285aa0a974eb0d3c00aec — DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1719274