Sebastien Guillaume1,2, Aurélia Gay3,4, Isabelle Jaussent2, Torrance Sigaud3,4, Stephane Billard3,5, Jerome Attal2,6, Maude Seneque1,2, Bogdan Galusca4, Sylvain Thiebaut1,2, Catherine Massoubre3,4, Philippe Courtet3,5. 1. Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France. 2. INSERM U1088, University of Montpellier, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Montpellier, France. 3. University Hospital of St-Etienne, Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, North Hospital, St Etienne, France. 4. TAPE Research Team, Jean Monnet University, Saint Etienne, France. 5. Department of Addictology, Quimper, France. 6. University Department of Adult Psychiatry, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Impaired decision-making and inhibitory control may be involved in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders like bulimia nervosa (BN). Their improvement after neuromodulation may underpin clinical improvement. We assessed the effects of rTMS on these cognitive functions in a sample of women with BN. METHODS:Thirty-nine participants (22 in a sham group and 17 in an rTMS group) were assessed before and after 10 high frequency rTMS sessions over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). RESULTS: The between-group analyses revealed no differences in the final neuropsychological performances. The within-group analyses showed that inhibitory control improved in both the go/no-go task (p = .03) and the BIS cognitive impulsivity subscale (p = .01) in the rTMS group only. Switches toward good choices on the Iowa gambling task significantly improved in the rTMS group only (p = .002), and understanding of the task contingencies increased between the two assessments, also in the rTMS group only (p = .03). DISCUSSION: This preliminary evidence suggests that modulation of left DLPFC might improve two putative cognitive biomarkers of BN.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: Impaired decision-making and inhibitory control may be involved in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders like bulimia nervosa (BN). Their improvement after neuromodulation may underpin clinical improvement. We assessed the effects of rTMS on these cognitive functions in a sample of women with BN. METHODS: Thirty-nine participants (22 in a sham group and 17 in an rTMS group) were assessed before and after 10 high frequency rTMS sessions over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). RESULTS: The between-group analyses revealed no differences in the final neuropsychological performances. The within-group analyses showed that inhibitory control improved in both the go/no-go task (p = .03) and the BIS cognitive impulsivity subscale (p = .01) in the rTMS group only. Switches toward good choices on the Iowa gambling task significantly improved in the rTMS group only (p = .002), and understanding of the task contingencies increased between the two assessments, also in the rTMS group only (p = .03). DISCUSSION: This preliminary evidence suggests that modulation of left DLPFC might improve two putative cognitive biomarkers of BN.