A systematic review of the neurocognitive effects of magnetic seizure therapy

Abstract

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is a novel neurotherapeutic intervention in development for the treatment of major affective disorders. Like other neurotherapeutic strategies such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a primary interest will be to monitor the associated neurocognitive effects. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the available data on the neurocognitive effects of MST. The authors performed two independent literature searches with the following terms terms: MST, magnetic, magnetic seizure therapy, depression, neurocognition, cognitive, preclinical. We included in this review a total of eleven articles that mentioned MST and neurocognition in the abstract. The articles were divided into three methodological domains that included virtual computer simulations, preclinical studies, and clinical investigations. Collectively, the available evidence suggests MST has little to no adverse cognitive effects. Specifically, virtual computer simulations found the magnetic field was localized to grey matter, and preclinical studies found no neurocortical or neurocognitive sequelae. Clinical investigations found MST to be associated with rapid reorientation and intact anterograde and retrograde memory. Future investigations using translational methods are warranted to confirm these findings and to further determine the effects of MST on neurocognitive functions.

Current electroconvulsive therapy practice and research in the geriatric population

“…MST presumably has a better localization of the site of initiation and focalization of propagation [249], which could cause fewer cognitive side effects and possibly have less impact on parasympathetic and sympathetic outflow, which cause HR and BP fluctuation [250]. However, the efficacy of MST in the treatment of depression has not been established [251], although MST has been found to be associated with rapid reorientation and intact anterograde and retrograde memory [252]. Elderly patients may benefit from MST because of its favorable side-effect profile compared with ECT if antidepressant effect of MST is comparable with or superior to ECT, and the treatment becomes FDA approved.…”

A Review of Brain Stimulation Treatments for Late-Life Depression

“…Magnetic field pulses are far more focal as they are not impeded or shunted by the skull or cerebrospinal fluid, thus preventing diffuse brain activation [42]. As a result there are far fewer cognitive side effects associated with MST compared with ECT [43–46]. …”

La mémoire de la source

“…Les sujets dé primé s sembleraient faire des erreurs d'omission. Ces erreurs pourraient être lié es aux troubles cognitifs pré sents dans la dé pression comme les troubles de la mé moire ou les troubles de la concentration et de l'attention communé ment dé crits dans la litté rature [15]. Ainsi, les troubles de la mé moire de la source rencontré s chez les sujets dé primé s constitueraient d'avantage un « marqueur é tat » en lien avec l'é tat clinique du sujet.…”