The Japanese rTMS experience – Present and future

Abstract

Fig. 8 coil, which is popular now, was invented by Prof. Ueno in 1988 and spread globally. The rTMS machines were developed in Europe and imported to Japan from 2001 and spread over Japan. The clinical treatments with rTMS have been mainly used for Parkinson’s syndrome, neuropathic pain, depression and rehabilitation after stroke. rTMS of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Neuronetics Inc) for depression is already used in Japanese private clinic, and will be approved by Japanese government in the near future. For neuropathic pain and Parkinson’s disease, large clinical trials are prepared now. We used to implant electrodes on the motor cortex of 39 patients with neuropathic pain and a patient with Pure akinesia until 2009. However, surgery has some complications, and rTMS is non-invasive and safe. Now rTMS almost takes over the electrode implant on the cortex in our institute. The treatment with rTMS always has temporary effects, therefore, patients have to receive rTMS treatments every day. The home-use rTMS machine would be helpful for the patients, and we are developing the new machine. We hope that our new machine will spread globally.