Evaluation of memory of work in depression in elderly after the use of repetitive transcranian magnetic stimulation by the theta-burst method: clinical, randomized, double-blind test

• Grant number: 18/13353-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2018
• End date: November 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Leandro da Costa Lane Valiengo
• Grantee: Bianca Silva Pinto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psiquiatria Doutor Antonio Carlos Pacheco e Silva (IPq). Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a psychopathology that affects the patient's initiative causing clinically significant distress, or impairment in social functioning. TDM is a condition that affects about 15% of the adult population, and is recurrent in about 80% of cases in elderly people than in the general population. Elderly patients with MDD have cognitive deficits in several domains, such as: psychomotor speed, executive functions, memory and attention. Working memory (TM) deficits in depression in the elderly limit the functional capacity of the elderly, damaging the reasoning and immediate and psychomotor decisions, increasing the disability already provoked by MDD. It is understood that TM shows an expected decline during aging. However, studies on depression in the elderly indicated a greater loss of TM in this group in relation to the healthy elderly. Non-invasive neuromodulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (EMT) have been used in the treatment of MDD, and a new technique within the EMT, theta burst stimulation (TBS), has shown satisfactory results for its treatment. The use of this technique does not negatively interfere in the cognitive function of the patients and may even improve it in some aspects, mainly TM. The aim of this study is to verify the TM before and after the application of TBS in the treatment of major depressive disorder in the elderly.