Neurobiological Correlates of Anxiety and Comorbid Social Phobia in Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder: A Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Clinical Trial
This study examined repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a treatment for adolescents with major depressive disorder. The study was exploratory, considering the potential influence of comorbid anxiety on treatment response and neurobiological correlates. Adolescents underwent a three-week rTMS clinical trial. Depression and anxiety symptoms were compared pre- and post-treatment to determine treatment response. As well fMRI scans were reviewed, identifying functional connectivity differences based upon comorbid anxiety. Findings indicated a significant relation between depressive symptom response and comorbid social phobia symptoms such that participants without social phobia symptoms were more likely to show a significant reduction in depressive symptoms. Neurobiological differences in terms of functional connectivity were found, based upon anxiety severity, comorbid social phobia symptoms, and anxiety symptom treatment response. These findings indicate that the presence of comorbid anxiety is associated with neurobiological differences that may in turn influence rTMS treatment response. Discussions of these findings are included in this document.
rTMS, Major depressive disorder, Social anxiety
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