Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Panic Disorder With Comorbid Major Depression

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients with a primary diagnosis of Panic Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, as confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV-TR (SCID)
• Residual panic attacks and MDD symptoms, defined as a total PDSS score of ≥ 20 and HDRS-17 score ≥18, despite treatment with an adequate trial of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI)
• A duration of the index episode of at least a month will be included.
• An adequate SRI trial is defined as treatment for at least 6-8 weeks on the SRI, that meets the maximum recommended dosage level for PD and MDD (fluoxetine 40-60 mg/d, sertraline 100-200 mg/d, paroxetine 40-60 mg/d, fluvoxamine 200-300 mg/d, citalopram 40-60 mg/d, escitalopram 20-30 mg/d).
• Individuals who cannot tolerate medications of class and dose at the specified duration as described above will also be included.
• Patients currently on medication must be at the same stable dose(s) for one month prior to enrollment and be willing to continue at the same dose(s) through the duration of the study.

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder (lifetime), any psychotic disorder (lifetime), or an Axis II personality disorder
• A history of substance abuse or dependence within the past year (except nicotine and caffeine)
• Significant acute suicide risk will be excluded.

Other exclusion criteria include those common to every TMS protocol:

• Individuals with a clinically defined neurological disorder, with an increased risk of seizure for any reason, with a history of treatment with TMS, deep brain stimulation for any disorder will be excluded.
• Patients with cardiac pacemakers, implanted medication pumps, intracardiac lines, or acute, unstable cardiac disease, with intracranial implants (e.g. aneurysm clips, shunts, stimulators, cochlear implants, or electrodes) or any other metal object within or near the head, excluding the mouth, that cannot be safely removed will be excluded.
• Current use of any investigational drug, any medications with proconvulsive action, such as bupropion, maprotiline, tricyclic antidepressant, clomipramine, classical antipsychotics, and daily use of any medications with a known inhibitory effect on cortical excitability measures (e.g., anticonvulsants, standing doses of benzodiazepines, sedative/hypnotics, and atypical antipsychotics) will not be permitted.
• If participating in psychotherapy, patients must have been in stable treatment for at least three months prior to entry into the study, with no anticipation of change in frequency therapeutic sessions, or the therapeutic focus over the duration of the TMS trial.
• Finally, current significant laboratory abnormality, known or suspected pregnancy, women who are breast-feeding or women of childbearing potential not using a medically accepted form of contraception when engaging in sexual intercourse will also be excluded.