Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a rapidly developing
technique for the investigation of brain function and the treatment of
neurological and psychiatric disorders. In the past decade, for instance, it
has gained increasing attention as a promising new therapeutic modality for
treating treatment-resistant depression (Psychiatric News, May
7).
In light of the growing interest in using rTMS in a variety of experimental
and therapeutic settings, the International Society for Transcranial
Stimulation drew up a consensus statement to assist the field in developing
guidelines for its safe application. Whether the intended use is experimental
or therapeutic, certain principles regarding the safety of rTMS apply, the
society believes.
The statement is not aimed at guiding the therapeutic use of rTMS or its
applications in research, but rather is meant to apply broadly to rTMS
use.
The statement is titled "Managing the Risks of Repetitive
Transcranial Stimulation" and was published in the July 2003 CNS
Spectrums.
At its June meeting, the APA Board approved the consensus statement as a
resource document. A resource document is a collection of information, data,
and reviews of the literature developed by APA components and staff that are
seen as useful and needed by APA and members and by the field. The findings,
opinions, and conclusions of the statement do not necessarily represent the
views of the officers, trustees, or all APA members.
The consensus statement defines rTMS specifically as the administration of
a series of magnetic stimuli to the brain for the purpose of altering brain
function and specifies that rTMS is an experimental medical intervention under
investigation as a potential treatment for neurological and psychiatric
disorders, indicates that epileptic seizure is a significant risk of rTMS, and
provides principles for safe administration of rTMS.
To reduce risks associated with the use of rTMS, the consensus statement
recommends the following:
The resource document will soon be posted on APA's Web site at<www.psych.org/public_info/libr_publ/resource.cfm>.▪