Terapia de extinción y estimulación magnética transcraneal para el tratamiento de trastornos de ansiedad

Alexa S. Ramírez-López; Leticia Verdugo Díaz

doi:10.19136/hs.a22n2.4977

Authors

Alexa S. Ramírez-López Biomedical Research Institute, National Autonomous University of Mexico. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8941-4952
Leticia Verdugo Díaz Bioelectromagnetism Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5402-6017

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19136/hs.a22n2.4977

Abstract

Objective: To describe the factors that can determine the reduction of symptoms in generalized anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders by transcranial magnetic stimulation in combination with extinction therapy.

Material and methods: A bibliographic review was conducted in databases (Cochrane, EBSCO, PubMed, ScienceDirect y Wiley), using the keywords: “transcranial magnetic stimulation”, “human” and “fear extinction”. A selection of clinical trials that used extinction therapy plus TMS and the skin conductance as variable quantified was made.

Results: Five articles focused on the treatment of symptoms, like fear and recurrence of traumatic memories were obtained. There is little research on the topic. Stimulation protocols are heterogeneous between studies (stimulation frequency ranges from 1 to 30 Hz). Most of the studies reviewed reported the use of high-frequency stimulation. The maximum duration of therapeutic effects reported was one month.

Conclusions: TMS and extinction therapy as a treatment for PTSD and GAD has a growing research field. Effectiveness results are not conclusive, sample sizes are small, and studies do not focus on which protocols are effective in the long-term. New studies that include patients with diagnosed PTSD and GAD are relevant to assess the protocols that have already been successful in healthy patients (fear-conditioned).

Keywords: Anxiety; Conductance; Extinction; Fear; Post-traumatic stress.

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Author Biographies

Alexa S. Ramírez-López, Biomedical Research Institute, National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Biologist graduated from the Faculty of Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
Leticia Verdugo Díaz, Bioelectromagnetism Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico.

PhD in Sciences (Cellular Biology), full professor at the Faculty of Medicine, UNAM. Head of the Bioelectromagnetism laboratory.
She has 45 publications in indexed journals, with more than 500 citations. She is thesis director for bachelor's, master's and doctoral students.
She belongs to scientific societies, in particular founder of the Ibero-American Network on Bioelectromagnetism.