Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34839043›Full record

SynthesisAgeing research reviews2022

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for geriatric depression.

Davide Cappon, Tim den Boer, Caleb Jordan, Wanting Yu, Eran Metzger, Alvaro Pascual-Leone

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Ageing research reviews, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 54 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
54citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
4.3field-weighted citation impact, top 5% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

54 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 88 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Differential neural responses to rhythmic and patterned TMS protocols: Insights from EEG spectral analysis.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Neuroscientific therapies for subjective tinnitus.Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B · 2026
    Review
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Advances in the Clinical Application of Neurostimulation in Major Depression.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2026
    Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Davide CapponHinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA; Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: davidebaloscappon@hsl.harvard.edu.
Tim den BoerHinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA.
Caleb JordanHinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA; Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA.
Wanting YuHinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA.
Eran MetzgerHinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Alvaro Pascual-LeoneHinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA; Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Guttmann Brain Health Institut, Guttmann Institut, Spain.
Hebrew SeniorLife · USHarvard University · US

Funding

The Role of Inflammation in the Pathophysiology of Delirium and its Associated Long-Term Cognitive DeclineP01AG031720 · NIA · HEBREW REHABILITATION CENTER FOR AGED · PI SHAFI, MOUHSIN · 2010 to 2022
$26.7M
Personalized brain activity modulation to improve balance and cognition in elderly fallersR01AG059089 · NIA · HEBREW REHABILITATION CENTER FOR AGED · PI MANOR, BRADLEY D. · 2018 to 2022
$3.2M
Collaboratory on Research Definitions for Cognitive Reserve and ResilienceR24AG061421 · NIA · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI STERN, YAAKOV · 2018 to 2020
$2.5M
Multifocal transcranial current stimulation for cognitive and motor dysfunction in dementiaR01AG076708 · NIA · HEBREW REHABILITATION CENTER FOR AGED · PI MANOR, BRADLEY D., PASCUAL-LEONE, ALVARO · 2022 to 2024
$2.3M
NIA NIH HHS P01 AG031720NIA NIH HHS R01 AG059089NIA NIH HHS R01 AG076708NIA NIH HHS R24 AG061421
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe prevalence of treatment-resistant geriatric depression (GD) highlights the need for treatments that preserve cognitive functions and recognize polypharmacy in elderly, yet effectively reduce symptom burden. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a proven intervention for treatment-resistant depression in younger adults but the efficacy of TMS to treat depressed older adults is still unclear. This review provides an updated view on the efficacy of TMS treatment for GD, discusses methodological differences between trials in TMS application, and explores avenues for optimization of TMS treatment in the context of the ageing brain.

methodsA systematic review was conducted to identify published literature on the antidepressant efficacy of TMS for GD. Databases PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched for English language articles in peer-reviewed journals in March 2021.

resultsSeven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (total n = 260, active n = 148, control n = 112) and seven uncontrolled trials (total n = 160) were included. Overall, we found substantial variability in the clinical response, ranging from 6.7% to 54.3%.

conclusionsThe reviewed literature highlights large heterogeneity among studies both in terms of the employed TMS dosage and the observed clinical efficacy. This highlights the need for optimizing TMS dosage by recognizing the unique clinical features of GD. We showcase a set of novel approaches for the optimization of the TMS protocol for depression and discuss the possibility for a standardized TMS protocol tailored for the treatment of GD.

Indexed as

DepressionTranscranial Magnetic StimulationAgedAgingHumansTreatment OutcomeGeriatric depression (GD)Non-invasive brain stimulationNonpharmacological interventionPolypharmacyTranscranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Identifiers

PMID34839043
PMCPMC8996329
OpenAlexW3216489878

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.