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Aim: There is a need to elucidate intermittent Theta burst stimulation (iTBS) as a novel treatment in persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD). Methods: Twenty patients were randomly allocated to active iTBS (n = 11) and sham iTBS (n = 9) and received 10 iTBS sessions, 2 sessions per day, sequentially to primary motor and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices for 5 days in a week. Each iTBS session comprised of 2 sec. per train of 10 bursts (3 pulses per burst at 50 Hz; total 30 pulses) and were given with a gap of 5 Hz, total of 20 trains, and 600 pulses. Visual Analogue Scale, Brief Pain Inventory and Global Pain Scale (GPS), Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale - Anxiety, World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale-brief, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were applied at baseline, after last session, and at 2 weeks after last TBS session. Intention to treat analysis was conducted. Results: Both groups were comparable for baseline psychopathology scores including clinical variables like age (t = 0.865; P = 0.398), duration of illness (t = 1.600; P = 0.127), and motor threshold (t = 0.304; P = 0.765). On repeated measures ANOVA, a significant within-group time effect for VAS, BPI-Severity, BPI-Interference, BDI - II, MADRS, HAM-A, and WHOQOL- BREF was found for active and sham TBS groups, respectively. GPS scores had significant within-group (active) * time interaction (F = 11.651; P = .001; ηp2 = 0.538) and between-group * time interaction (F = 3.407; P = 0.044; ηp2 = 0.159). However, between-group * time effect interaction was lost after covariance (F = 1.726; P = 0.196; ηp2 = 0.110). Conclusion: No major adverse effects were reported. Our pilot trial concludes that safe therapeutic efficacy of iTBS in PSPD is inconclusive. Lower total number of sessions along with small sample size may limit the study findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cannabis use disorders are global emerging problem nowadays, with high prevalence and morbidity. Cognitive impairments, and also corresponding genetic vulnerability, has been fairly replicated in individuals with cannabis dependence. However, there are few studies that assess cognitive functioning as an endophenotype or a trait marker for cannabis dependence. While the primary objective of this study was to assess the endophenotype pattern of cognitive dysfunction in cannabis dependence, assessing the association between the degree of cognitive functioning, and their socio‐demographic and clinical variables in the cannabis dependence patients and their first‐degree relatives was the secondary objective. Methodology: We compared cognitive functioning across three groups‐ patients with cannabis dependence syndrome, their 'non‐user' first‐degree relatives and healthy controls, with 30 participants in each group. Five cognitive domains‐ attention and concentration, verbal fluency, memory, visuospatial ability and executive functions were assessed. We assessed for endophenotype pattern of statistical significance in pairwise analyses of Kruskal‐Wallis test, which was corrected for multiple comparisons. Subsequently, correlation analysis to assess association of cognitive impairment with socio‐demographic and clinical variables was conducted. Results: Although impairment in attention and executive functions also was seen in patients with cannabis dependence, endophenotype pattern of statistical significance in pairwise analyses, with impairment in first‐degree relatives too, was seen in all sub‐scores of verbal fluency and verbal memory. None of the correlations were significant. Conclusion: 'Non‐user' first‐degree relatives of patients with cannabis dependence too show significant cognitive impairment. Verbal fluency and verbal memory are possible endophenotypes or trait markers for cannabis dependence syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A significant body of evidence on the role of TMS in neurology and psychiatry has emerged from Indian studies. Aims: We aimed to assess the existing and emerging trends of research on TMS as a diagnostic or therapeutic tool in India using bibliometric analysis. Results: A total of 146 publications, retrieved from various databases, were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and VOSviewer. We found a linear positive growth of publications in India in the field of TMS and neuropsychiatry, with about 3000 citations so far. The most researched diagnosis was schizophrenia. NIMHANS, Bengaluru, had the highest number of publications. The journal with the highest number of publications was the Asian Journal of Psychiatry, and that with the highest citations was the Journal of Affective disorders. Conclusion: The growth of Indian research in the field of TMS corresponds to that of the global one but also suggests the need for more studies to match the research output from other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]