Recent studies have suggested that both high- and low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) have antidepressant effects in patients with major depression. We conducted an open study to assess the effects of slow rTMS on mood changes in patients with depression associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Ten depressed patients with PD (four with major depression and six with dysthymia) received daily sessions of rTMS (frequency, 0.5 Hz; pulse duration, 0.1 msec; field intensity, 10% above the motor threshold) over both prefrontal regions (a total of 100 stimuli per prefrontal region daily) over 10 consecutive days. This treatment resulted in a moderate but significant decrease in scores of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (33-37%) and the Beck Depression Inventory (24-34%), which persisted 20 days after finishing the stimulation. In parallel, we observed mild improvement (18-20%) of motor symptoms. No significant adverse effects were reported. These preliminary results suggest the therapeutic potential of daily prefrontal low-frequency rTMS (0.5 Hz) in depression associated with PD.

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Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Wilson's disease (WD) has not been extensively studied. Therefore, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify clinical and demographic factors influencing HRQoL in 60 treated, clinically stable patients with WD using a generic questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). The level of disability and grading of WD multisystemic manifestations were assessed by the Global Assessment Scale for WD (GAS for WD). The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scoring were also applied by the same trained interviewers. Lower scores on the SF-36 domains were found in patients with neurological compared with those with a predominantly hepatic form of WD. The HRQoL of patients with WD and psychiatric symptoms was also lower than that of those without them. Finally, significant inverse correlations were obtained between the various SF-36 domains and all the following: period of latency from the first symptoms/signs appearance and treatment initiation, MMSE and HDRS scores, and different domains of the GAS for WD.

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