Do benzodiazepines reduce the efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation?

Lana Tran; Lisa Hahn; Shane Gill; Felicity Ng; Patrick Clarke; Tom Paterson; Cherrie Galletly

doi:10.1177/10398562241229623

Do benzodiazepines reduce the efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation?

Australas Psychiatry. 2024 Feb 1:10398562241229623. doi: 10.1177/10398562241229623. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Lana Tran¹, Lisa Hahn², Shane Gill³, Felicity Ng⁴, Patrick Clarke⁴, Tom Paterson⁴, Cherrie Galletly⁵

Affiliations

¹ Psychiatry Trainee, School of Medicine, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
² Research Officer, Ramsay Clinic Adelaide, Ramsay Health Care (SA) Mental Health Services, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
³ Consultant Psychiatrist, Ramsay Clinic Adelaide, Ramsay Health Care (SA) Mental Health Services, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Director of Psychiatry Training, Adelaide, SA, Australia; and School of Medicine, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
⁴ Consultant Psychiatrist, School of Medicine, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide; and Ramsay Clinic Adelaide, Ramsay Health Care (SA) Mental Health Services, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
⁵ Emerita Professor, School of Medicine, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; and Consultant Psychiatrist, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

PMID: 38299320
DOI: 10.1177/10398562241229623

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of concomitant use of benzodiazepines on the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TR-MDD).

Methods: This is a retrospective study comparing rTMS treatment outcomes between patients taking benzodiazepines (n = 59) and those who were not (n = 136). Participants completed the HAM-A, HAM-D17, MADRS and ZUNG at baseline and at the end of treatment.

Results: Patients taking benzodiazepines during rTMS treatment did not show any difference in partial response, response or remission rates compared to patients not treated with benzodiazepines. There was a significant decrease (p < .0001) in depression and anxiety scores from baseline to post-treatment among both groups.

Conclusions: Concomitant benzodiazepine treatment had no effect on the efficacy of rTMS treatment of TRD, contrary to previous research.

Keywords: Major depressive disorder; benzodiazepine; transcranial magnetic stimulation; treatment resistant.