This thesis discusses current insights into the applications of deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) in older adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). / Objectives: To examine current evidence of clinical efficacy and applications of deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) among older adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
Methods: In Study 1, we conducted a systematic review of existing literature on the clinical efficacy of dTMS across psychiatric and cognitive disorders. Studies eligible for inclusion were clinical trials which were required to have a sham/control condition to mitigate confounding variables and to strengthen our assessment of efficacy. This dissertation specifically aimed to discuss these findings in the context of older adults with depression, as a means to investigate whether available evidence supporting the clinical efficacy of dTMS for depression is generalizable to older populations. In Study 2, we analyzed recruitment data from a pilot study investigating the effects of dTMS in older adults with TRD. Specifically, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of various recruitment strategies by using an enrollment-cost analysis, as well as comparing enrollment rates (i.e., enrolled participants/referrals received) for each recruitment method. Moreover, we identified potential facilitators and barriers to recruitment following a verbal thematic analysis of qualitative interview data.
Results: In Study 1, most substantial evidence (n = 6 studies) within the literature supports the clinical efficacy of the dTMS H1-coil for the treatment of depressive episodes in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD). Only one randomized controlled trial was conducted in older adults with TRD. This trial reported higher remission rates in the active dTMS arm compared to the sham dTMS arm following treatment with the H1-coil. In study 2, we found (1) health provider outreach within the affiliated inpatient and outpatient mental health clinics and (2) Facebook, to be the most effective recruitment strategies. Lastly, social support from research staff (n = 15; 88.24%) and the time-intensiveness aspect of dTMS treatments (n = 6; 35.29%) were the most frequently identified facilitators and barriers to recruitment, respectively.
Conclusions: While there is notable evidence supporting the clinical efficacy of the dTMS H1-coil for the treatment of depressive episodes, the majority of such evidence is based on findings from younger-to-middle aged groups. Thus, the generalizability of dTMS treatment efficacy to older adults remains less understood. Further sham-controlled studies are needed to determine the clinical efficacy of dTMS in older adults and to improve evidence-based care in the field of geriatric psychiatry. Importantly, we aimed to address this underrepresentation of older adults in clinical research by analyzing recruitment strategies and examining facilitators and barriers to recruitment. Future research is warranted to examine facilitators and barriers to recruitment in older adults with depression, particularly the importance of social support, which may offer valuable insights on how to overcome the issue of underrepresentation. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Brain stimulation therapies, such as deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS), show promising results for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, the applications of dTMS remain overlooked in geriatric populations with TRD, limiting the generalizability of such treatments to older adults. This dissertation aimed to examine current evidence supporting the use of dTMS in older adults with depression. In Study 1, we conducted a systematic review of available evidence on the clinical efficacy of dTMS across psychiatric and cognitive disorders. We found most evidence supporting the clinical efficacy of dTMS for the treatment of depressive episodes. However, the underrepresentation of older adults in such research was highly prevalent, with only one study being focused on older adults. In Study 2, we explored the effectiveness of diverse recruitment methods used in an ongoing dTMS trial for older adults with depression. Additionally, we identified potential facilitators and barriers to recruitment. Overall, the most effective recruitment strategies were (1) health provider outreach within the affiliated inpatient and outpatient mental health clinics and (2) Facebook advertising. Furthermore, social support from research staff and high time commitment of dTMS treatments were identified as facilitators and barriers to recruitment, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of conducting dTMS research in older adults to address the issue of underrepresentation and to improve evidence-based care in this special population.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/30103 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Di Passa, Anne-Marie |
| Contributors | Duarte, Dante, Health Sciences |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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