Treatment of psychiatric conditions such as resistant depression, bipolar disorder and/or major depressive disorder via application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with thyroid hormone treatment and/or quetiapine

Abstract

The present invention relates to treatment of a psychiatric condition, for example resistant depression (RD), bipolar disorder (either threshold or sub-threshold) and/or major depressive disorder via application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with a drug treatment, in particular application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with treatment to modulate the activity of the neurones and induce neuroplasticity and the use of Thyroid hormone treatment to increase quantity or activity of thyroid hormones, for example for treatment of thyroid dysfunction. Patients may be selected for treatment by testing for the presence of normal thyroid function.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method for treating a psychiatric condition in a patient, the method comprising administering a medicament selected from at least one of thyroxine, levothyroxine, liothyronine and levothyroxine sodium to the patient and subjecting the patient to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the psychiatric condition is selected from the group consisting of resistant depression, threshold or subthreshold bipolar disorder, ADHD, and/or major depressive disorder. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the method further comprises administering a mood stabiliser or neuroleptic to the patient. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the method further comprises administering quetiapine to the patient. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the method comprises administering one of the following combinations of medicaments to the patient:
 a) thyroxine and liothyronine; or   b) thyroxine and quetiapine; or   c) liothyronine and quetiapine; or   d) thyroxine and liothyronine and quetiapine.   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the medicament comprises:
 a) at least 50 mcg of quetiapine;   b) at least 50 mcg of thyroxine;   c) at least 50 mcg of levothyroxine;   d) at least 50 mcg thyroxine and at least 50 mcg of quetiapine; or   e) at least 10 mcg of liothyronine   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the method excludes administering antidepressants to the patient. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the rTMS is performed at the following concentrated regions of the scalp:
 a) substantially left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) region, preferably if flatly depressed; or   b) substantially right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) region, preferably if agitated depressed, mixed, racy thoughts or rapid cycling.   
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the preferred electromagnetic frequency for rTMS is: a) below about 20.1 Hz; or b) above about 0.9 Hz. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein:
 a) the left side of the brain is targeted with rTMS or iTBS when the patient is depressed; or   b) the right side of the brain is targeted with rTMS or cTBS when the patient is diagnosed as having a mixed condition.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the rTMS is administered in alternate frequencies, a first electromagnetic frequency and a second electromagnetic frequency optionally wherein the first electromagnetic frequency is substantially 1 Hz and the second electromagnetic frequency is substantially 10 Hz. 
     
     
         39 . A method for treating a psychiatric condition in a patient, wherein the psychiatric condition is selected from the group consisting of resistant depression, ADHD, and/or major depressive disorder, the method comprising administering quetiapine to the patient and subjecting the patient to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the method further comprises administering a mood stabiliser or neuroleptic to the patient. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the method further comprises administering a medicament for treating thyroid dysfunction to the patient. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the medicament for treating thyroid dysfunction is selected from the group consisting of thyroxine, levothyroxine, liothyronine and levothyroxine sodium.