気分障害への磁気刺激療法

Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Mood Disorder

わが国では，およそ100万人の気分障害患者が治療を受けている。一方，治療抵抗性を示すうつ病や双極性うつ病患者への利用可能な治療の選択肢は限られている。反復経頭蓋磁気刺激は，神経修飾を行う技術であり治療抵抗性うつ病への有効性が実証されているほか，薬物療法に反応しない双極性うつ病への治療効果も示唆されている。また，磁気痙攣療法は，認知機能障害が少なく電気痙攣療法に相当する治療効果が期待される。

Abstract

In Japan, approximately one million patients currently receive medical treatment for mood disorders. However, there are only a few available treatments for patients with treatment-resistant depression or bipolar depression. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a neuromodulation technique, has proven to be effective for treatment-resistant depression, and also has a potential therapeutic efficacy in patients with bipolar depression who do not respond to medication. Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is an experimental technique for introducing a seizure by using rTMS, which demonstrates a therapeutic efficacy similar to that of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but with fewer cognitive side effects.