Stimolazione magnetica transcranica (TMS) combinata con navigazione cerebrale nella depressione bipolare farmaco-resistente : un caso clinico=Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) combined with navigated brain stimulation in drug-resistant Bipolar Depression : a case report

Recently, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation – a brain stimulation technique that allows electrical stimulation of the brain via magnetic fields induction – has been combined with Brain Imaging techniques increasing the precision and the reliability of stimulation during treatment. Herein it presented the case of a 52-year-old female suffering from drug-resistant Major Depressive Episode and with a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder (type I), who was successfully treated with a 3-week treatment of low-frequency Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (1 Hz, intensity 110% of the motor threshold, stimulation on the right hemisphere) combined with brain navigation via magnetic resonance. At the end of the treatment, patient’s symptoms were markedly improved as supported by the reduced scores on the Hamilton depression rating scale and Clinical Global Impression scale. Patient restarted working. Side-effects, consisting of mild headache and confusion, limited primarily to the first hour after the first daily sessions, disappeared during the second week of treatment. After three months of follow-up, the patient maintains the same level of improvement.