THE EFFECTS OF TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION (TMS) ON RAT MODELS OF DEPRESSION

重复经颅磁刺激（rTMS）是一种利用高磁场脉冲直接刺激大脑的方法。这是一项新技术，已被证明在治疗抑郁症和其他神经精神疾病方面具有一定的潜力。在其研究的早期阶段，最可能具有治疗作用的刺激参数及其作用机制尚不清楚。已发表的研究在刺激的频率、持续时间和程度上各不相同，对最佳参数没有明确的指导方针。因此，对不同频率、不同刺激次数和不同持续时间的刺激的相对效果进行实证研究，对这种治疗的未来发展非常重要。出于道德和实际的原因，这样的研究最好在抑郁症的动物模型中进行，因为在患者身上进行这样的研究可能需要很多年的时间，而且极难进行。我们建议在抑郁症的大鼠模型上进行这样的研究，这在药物研究中已经证明了有效性和实用性。大鼠模型在开发精神治疗方面有着悠久的历史，具有成本效益和已被证明的价值。我们还计划研究经颅磁刺激诱导的即时早期基因的神经解剖学，并将其与电惊厥休克（ECS）和三环抗抑郁药（两种已建立的抑郁症治疗方法）进行比较。这些结果将对未来的人体研究产生影响，指导我们找到治疗效果的最佳参数。这也将加深我们对经颅磁刺激治疗抑郁症的作用机制的理解。

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is the direct stimulation of the brain by using high field magnetic pulses. It is a new technique that has been demonstrated to have some potential as a treatment of depressive illness and possibly other neuropsychiatric disorders. At this early stage of its investigation, the parameters of stimulation that are most likely to be therapeutic, and its mechanisms of action, are not known. Published studies vary in the frequency, duration and extent of stimulation, with no firm guidelines about optimal parameters. Empirical study of the relative effects of stimulation at different frequencies, at different numbers of stimuli and for different durations is therefore important for the future development of this treatment. Such an investigation is best carried out in an animal model of depression for both ethical and practical reasons, as such studies in patients would possibly take many years and be extremely difficult to conduct. We propose such a study in rat models of depression which have demonstrated validity and utility in drug research. Rat models have a long track record in developing psychiatric treatments and are cost-effective and of proven value. We also plan to investigate the neuroanatomy of the immediate-early genes induced by TMS and compare it with electroconvulsive shock (ECS) and a tricyclic antidepressant, two established treatments of depression. The results will have implications for future human studies in guiding us toward the optimal parameters for therapeutic effects. They will also enhance our understanding of the mechanism of action of TMS in depression.