Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity is normalized after successful intermittent theta-burst stimulation in resistant depressed patients

The present pilot study assessed the effects of multi-session intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in 17 treatment resistant depressed inpatients (TRDs) showing cortisol non-suppression to the overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST) at baseline (i.e., maximum post-DST cortisol [COR_max] level > 130 nmol/L). After 20 iTBS sessions, the DST was repeated in all TRDs. At baseline, post-DST COR_max levels were higher in TRDs compared to healthy control subjects (HCs; n = 17) (p < 0.0001). After 20 iTBS sessions, post-DST COR_max levels decreased from baseline (p < 0.03) and were comparable to HCs. Decreases in post-DST COR_max levels were related to decreases in 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) scores (ρ = 0.53; p < 0.03). At endpoint, 10 TRDs showed DST normalization (among them 7 were responders [i.e., HAMD-17 total score > 50% decrease from baseline]), and 7 did not normalize their DST (among them 6 were non-responders) (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that successful iTBS treatment may restore normal glucocorticoid receptor feedback inhibition at the pituitary level.