Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the treatment of Catatonia

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Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that can occur due to medical or psychiatric disorder. It is a behavioral syndrome that can be associated with schizophrenia, shizoaffective disorder, or atypical psychosis. ECT was found to be effective for both catatonic stupor and excitement, where benzodiazepine or neuroleptics may not prove successful, and has proven to increase intracortical inhibition (ICI) which is reduced in patients with schizophrenia. Since TMS has been shown to alter cortical excitability, this provides a rationale for moving from ECT to TMS based treatment. Essentially arguing by analogy with ECT, and its effect in depression, three case reports appear to show an ECT-like effect of rTMS in catatonic schizophrenia. All studies used facilitatory fast rTMS (10Hz and 20Hz) although on opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex. In this study we will replicate the best practice application of rTMS in the treatment of catatonia. Since this paradigm is similar to an existing treatment for depression at our unit, no additional preparation is required. As suitable participants are expected to be uncommon, a case series approach will allow us to recruit opportunistically, over an extended period, as clinically warranted. Findings will be reported as a series of case studies, or accumulated as a case series report, depending on the number of cases. This is a fairly novel application of rTMS, but builds on our unit’s experience with rTMS, and Dr Lee’s previous experience in catatonia research, to contribute to this emerging field. The objective is to answer two questions. Whether rTMS will affect catatonia, and what are the clinical circumstances that indicate rTMS treatment. A series of case findings will give an indication of an answer, and inform local treatment consideration.

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