Intermittent theta burst stimulation for the treatment of autonomic dysfunction and depressive symptoms in dementia with Lewy bodies

Chih-Chung Huang; Chih-Sung Liang; Hsuan-Te Chu; Hsin-An Chang; Ta-Chuan Yeh

doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103212

Intermittent theta burst stimulation for the treatment of autonomic dysfunction and depressive symptoms in dementia with Lewy bodies

Asian J Psychiatr. 2022 Sep:75:103212. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103212. Epub 2022 Jul 16.

Authors

Chih-Chung Huang¹, Chih-Sung Liang², Hsuan-Te Chu³, Hsin-An Chang⁴, Ta-Chuan Yeh⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: 400010428@mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw.
² Department of Psychiatry, Beitou Branch, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: 802010121@mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Beitou Branch, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: jordan230724@mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: fantine7520@ndmctsgh.edu.tw.

PMID: 35905514
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103212

Abstract

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is one of the most prevalent forms of neurodegenerative dementia, second to Alzheimer's disease, and autonomic abnormalities and depressive symptoms are common. There are currently no cures or treatments with evidence of disease-modifying effects for DLB, and the treatment for the amelioration of targeted symptoms is challenging due to the risk of side effects and drug-drug interactions. In the present case, we report a female elder with DLB suffering from poor tolerance to the adverse events of numerous approaches. Following intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), the autonomic abnormalities and depressive symptoms remarkably improved without significant side effects.

Keywords: Autonomic dysfunction; Dementia with Lewy bodies; Heart rate variability; Theta burst stimulation; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; α-synucleinopathies.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Alzheimer Disease* / diagnosis
Autonomic Nervous System Diseases*
Depression / etiology
Depression / therapy
Female
Humans
Lewy Body Disease* / complications
Lewy Body Disease* / therapy
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation