Novák T, Kostýlková L, Bareš M, et al. - Researchers investigated the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in bipolar depression (BDE).

• For BDE treatment, the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which are the stimulation sites routinely used in MDD, might not be the best choice.

• Patients with BDE frequently exhibit abnormalities in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC).

• This is a 4-week, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, sham-controlled study.

• Researchers performed comparison of the efficacy of 10Hz rTMS over the right VLPFC, the left DLPFC 10Hz rTMS, and sham rTMS as an add-on treatment in patients with BDE.

• Sixty patients were randomized to study groups: twenty in each.

• Despite the medium-sized study, no superiority of two differently located 10Hz rTMS could be demonstrated over sham rTMS used as an add-on treatment for BDE.