Differential Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Mood and Pain Symptoms in People With Chronic Pain and Major Depressive Disorders-A Review.
Journal:
European journal of pain (London, England)
Published Date:
Aug 1, 2025
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Chronic pain and major depressive disorder (MDD) are among the most prevalent and disabling conditions globally, often co-occurring and sharing overlapping symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and mood disturbances. While fibromyalgia, a primary pain syndrome, and MDD have distinct clinical manifestations, their comorbidity presents therapeutic challenges. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, has shown efficacy in treating both pain and mood disorders when targeted at specific brain regions (motor cortex for pain, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for mood). This review aimed to investigate whether rTMS interventions for fibromyalgia or MDD improve symptoms across both domains, particularly in comorbid cases.
