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Accelerated TMS is an emerging application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) aimed to reduce treatment length and improve response time. Extant literature generally shows similar efficacy and safety profiles compared to the FDA-cleared protocols for TMS to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), yet accelerated TMS research remains at a very early stage in development. The few applied protocols have not been standardized and vary significantly across a set of core elements. In this review, we consider nine elements that include treatment parameters (i.e., frequency and inter-stimulation interval), cumulative exposure (i.e., number of treatment days, sessions per day, and pulses per session), individualized parameters (i.e., treatment target and dose), and brain state (i.e., context and concurrent treatments). Precisely which of these elements is critical and what parameters are most optimal for the treatment of MDD remains unclear. Other important considerations for accelerated TMS include durability of effect, safety profiles as doses increase over time, the possibility and advantage of individualized functional neuronavigation, use of biological readouts, and accessibility for patients most in need of the treatment. Overall, accelerated TMS appears to hold promise to reduce treatment time and achieve rapid reduction in depressive symptoms, but at this time significant work remains to be done. Rigorous clinical trials combining clinical outcomes and neuroscientific measures such as electroencephalogram, magnetic resonance imaging and e-field modeling are needed to define the future of accelerated TMS for MDD.

The consequences for adolescent health due to early life exposure to natural disasters combined with war are not known. We collected data from adolescents aged 12-13 years in Sri Lanka whose mothers were pregnant during the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 in a tsunami-affected region (n = 22), conflict-affected region (n = 35), conflict-plus-tsunami-affected region (n = 29), or controls in areas unaffected by either (n = 24). Adjusted BMI-for-age z-scores were 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.4, 2.2), 1.0 (95% CI 0.2, 1.9), and 2.0 (95% CI 1.1, 2.9) for conflict, tsunami, and conflict-plus-tsunami, respectively, compared with the control group. Greater skinfold thickness and higher diastolic blood pressure were found in adolescents born in the conflict zone but no differences were found in height, head circumference, and waist circumference, or blood results, with the exception of serum insulin. Being born after a natural disaster or during conflict was associated with increased adolescent BMI and body fat, which are associated with longer-term risk of noncommunicable disease.

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-aph-10.1177_10105395231151730 for The Long-Term Consequences of Early Life Exposure to Tsunami and Conflict on Adolescents in Sri Lanka by Delan Devakumar, Laura Busert, Manoji Gitanjali Sathiadas, Pushpika Jayawardana, Angela Arulpragasam, Clive Osmond, Caroline H. D. Fall, Jonathan C. K. Wells and V. Pujitha Wickramasinghe in Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health

The ventral striatum is believed to encode the subjective value of cost-benefit options; however, this effect has notably been absent during choices that involve physical effort. Previous work in freely moving animals has revealed opposing striatal signals, with greater response to increasing effort demands and reduced responses to rewards requiring effort. Yet, the relationship between these conflicting signals remains unknown. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging with a naturalistic maze-navigation paradigm, we identified functionally segregated regions within the ventral striatum that separately encoded effort activation, movement initiation and effort discounting of rewards. In addition, activity in regions associated with effort activation and discounting oppositely predicted striatal encoding of effort during effort-based decision-making. Our results suggest that the dorsomedial region hitherto associated with action may instead represent the cost of effort and raise fundamental questions regarding the interpretation of striatal 'reward' signals in the context of effort demands. This has implications for uncovering the neural architecture underlying motivated behaviour.

Introduction. Assessing abdominal pain, particularly in women of reproductive age, requires thorough history taking, clinical examination, and investigations to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Both surgical and gynecological causes need to be considered, particularly previous relevant surgical history. Presentation of case. We report a case of pelvic pain secondary to multiple gallstones found within the pelvic cavity postlaparoscopic cholecystectomy. Thorough investigations have been conducted without any obvious cause found. The pain was debilitating and largely affecting the patient’s quality of life. Therefore, decision to perform diagnostic laparoscopy and gallstones was found all over pelvic cavity and retrieved. Her pain resolved post operatively. Conclusions. Gallbladder perforation and stone spillage are the most common complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy that arise during the removal and dissection of gallbladder and can cause significant morbidity if not managed early, especially retrieval of the stones intraoperatively. Therefore, patient with history of previous cholecystectomy with stone spillage presenting with undifferentiated abdominal pain and early diagnostic laparoscopy should be considered.