Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30616482›Full record

Trial reportThe Journal of international medical research2019

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation increases serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and decreases interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in elderly patients with refractory depression.

Xiangxiang Zhao, Yanpeng Li, Qing Tian, Bingqian Zhu, Zhongxin Zhao

Retracted 2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialRetracted Publication
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The Journal of international medical research, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It has been retracted, and should not be counted. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 56 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
56citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
5.1field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06735157 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Paired with Augmented Reality to Alter Concussion Symptoms

TypeinterventionalSponsorMcMaster UniversityRan2025 to 2025Enrolled40ConditionsMild Traumatic Brain Injury, Concussion, Chronic Dizziness, Vestibular ProblemArmsRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, Augmented reality vestibular rehabilitation therapy, SHAM repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
NCT06940609 phase2recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Magnetic Resonance Analysis of Neural Inflammatory Factors and External Stimulation (MANIFEST)

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of New MexicoRan2025 to 2029Enrolled60ConditionsLong COVID, Long COVID Syndrome, Long COVID-19 Syndrome, PASCArmsaccelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

56 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 111 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
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  5. Evaluation of rTMS in patients with poststroke aphasia: a systematic review and focused meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2022
    Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Trial
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Neuromodulation and cognition in late-life depression.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Review
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Retraction.The Journal of international medical research · 2025
    Article
  16. Predictors of response to accelerated rTMS in the treatment of treatment-resistant depression.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2025
    Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Xiangxiang Zhao1 Department of Neurology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Yanpeng Li2 Department of Neurology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Qing Tian2 Department of Neurology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Bingqian Zhu3 School of Nursing, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
Zhongxin Zhao2 Department of Neurology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Second Military Medical University · CNShanghai Jiao Tong University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin (IL)-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in elderly patients with refractory depression.

methodsA total of 58 elderly patients diagnosed with refractory depression between January 2015 and December 2016 were divided randomly into two groups: 29 patients who received rTMS and 29 controls without rTMS. Thirty healthy individuals were also enrolled and all received rTMS. Serum levels of BDNF, IL-1β, and TNF-α were measured before the study (0 days), and at 48 hours and 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the first TMS treatment.

resultsBDNF levels gradually increased with treatment duration in the rTMS group and were significantly higher compared with the control group. In contrast, IL-1β and TNF-α levels gradually decreased and were significantly lower than in the control group. None of the serum factors were affected by rTMS in the healthy individuals. BDNF levels were negatively correlated and IL-1β and TNF-α levels were positively correlated with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 scores.

conclusionThese results suggest that rTMS may increase BDNF and decrease IL-1β and TNF-α serum levels in elderly patients with refractory depression.

Indexed as

Transcranial Magnetic StimulationAgedBrain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorDepressive Disorder, Treatment-ResistantFemaleHumansInterleukin-1betaMaleMiddle AgedTumor Necrosis Factor-alphaBrain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorInterleukin-1betaTumor Necrosis Factor-alphabrain-derived neurotrophic factorelderly patientinterleukin-1βrefractory depressionRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulationtumor necrosis factor-α

Identifiers

PMID30616482
PMCPMC6567781
OpenAlexW2908747513

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.