Real-world retrospective study of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment for bipolar and unipolar depression using TMS registry data in Tokyo.

Despite the prevalence of empirical practice, evidence supporting the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating bipolar depression (BD) is sparse compared to that for unipolar depression. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a retrospective observational analysis using TMS registry data to compare the efficacy of rTMS treatment for BD and unipolar depression. Data from 20 patients diagnosed with unipolar and BD were retrospectively extracted from the TMS registry to ensure age and sex matching. The primary outcomes of this registry study were measured using the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D21) and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Analysis did not reveal significant differences between the two groups in terms of depression severity, motor threshold, or stimulus intensity at baseline. Similarly, no significant differences were observed in absolute or relative changes in the total HAM-D21 and MADRS scores. Furthermore, the response and remission rates following rTMS treatment did not differ significantly between groups. The only adverse event reported in this study was scalp pain at the stimulation site; however, the incidence and severity were not significantly different between the groups. In conclusion, this retrospective study, using real-world TMS registry data, suggests that rTMS treatment for BD could be as effective as that for unipolar depression. These findings underscore the need for further validation in prospective randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes.

A Retrospective Case-Control Study on the Differences in the Effectiveness of Theta-Burst Stimulation Therapy for Depression with and without Antidepressant Medication.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy has few side effects and comparable therapeutic effects to antidepressant treatment, but few studies have introduced TMS therapy as an initial treatment for MDD. The objective of this study was to retrospectively compare the clinical outcomes between 50 MDD patients without antidepressants (i.e., TMS monotherapy) and 50 MDD patients with antidepressants plus TMS therapy, matched for age, sex, and depression severity. The presence or absence of antidepressant therapy in first-line treatment was determined via a detailed interview by psychiatrists. The study design was a retrospective observational case-control study using the TMS registry data. The key inclusion criteria were adult patients who met the diagnosis of MDD and received 20-30 sessions of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) therapy to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In this study, the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was used as the primary outcome measure. No significant group differences existed in the baseline MADRS total score between the unmedicated and medicated patient groups. Following TMS therapy, no significant group differences in response rate, remission rate, or relative total score change in the MADRS were observed. The main limitations were the retrospective design and the use of registry data as a source. Our findings suggest that TMS monotherapy may be as effective as TMS add-on therapy to antidepressants when used as the first-line therapy for MDD, but randomized controlled trials are needed.

High-Efficiency Perovskite Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Devices by Effective Washing Process and Interfacial Energy Level Alignment.

All inorganic perovskites quantum dots (PeQDs) have attracted much attention for used in thin film display applications and solid-state lighting applications, owing to their narrow band emission with high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs), color tunability, and solution processability. Here, we fabricated low-driving-voltage and high-efficiency CsPbBr3 PeQDs light-emitting devices (PeQD-LEDs) using a PeQDs washing process with an ester solvent containing butyl acetate (AcOBu) to remove excess ligands from the PeQDs. The CsPbBr3 PeQDs film washed with AcOBu exhibited a PLQY of 42%, and a narrow PL emission with a full width at half-maximum of 19 nm. We also demonstrated energy level alignment of the PeQD-LED in order to achieve effective hole injection into PeQDs from the adjacent hole injection layer. The PeQD-LED with AcOBu-washed PeQDs exhibited a maximum power efficiency of 31.7 lm W-1 and EQE of 8.73%. Control of the interfacial PeQDs through ligand removal and energy level alignment in the device structure are promising methods for obtaining high PLQYs in film state and high device efficiency.