Publications by authors named "Lindsay Oberman"

This article updates the prior 2018 consensus statement by the National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) on the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of depression, incorporating recent research and clinical developments. Publications on TMS and depression between September 2016 and April 2024 were identified using methods informed by PRISMA guidelines. The NNDC Neuromodulation Work Group met monthly between October 2022 and April 2024 to define important clinical topics and review pertinent literature.

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Background: A growing body of literature classifies autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a heterogeneous, complex neurodevelopmental disorder that often is identified prior to three years of age. We aim to provide a narrative review of key structural and functional properties that differentiate the neuroimaging profile of autistic youth from their typically developing (TD) peers across different neuroimaging modalities.

Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching for key terms in PubMed, with the most recent search conducted on September 1, 2023.

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Altered brain connectivity and atypical neural oscillations have been observed in autism, yet their relationship with autistic traits in non-clinical populations remains underexplored. Here, we employ electroencephalography (EEG) to examine functional connectivity, oscillatory power, and broadband aperiodic activity during a dynamic facial emotion processing (FEP) task in 101 typically developing children aged 4-12 years. We investigate associations between these electrophysiological measures of brain dynamics and autistic traits as assessed by the Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd Edition (SRS-2).

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Article Synopsis
  • Rett syndrome (RTT) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder primarily affecting females, leading to various neurologic impairments that significantly lower quality of life for both individuals and their caregivers.
  • An international collaboration developed a caregiver questionnaire based on literature and parent interviews to assess 22 common issues related to RTT, using a 5-level Likert scale and anonymously surveying 756 caregivers.
  • Results showed that communication and motor impairments were the most frequent and impactful issues, with analyses indicating that the severity of problems often exceeded the perceived impact on both patients and caregivers.
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Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that can modulate neural activity. The effect of TBS on regions beyond the motor cortex remains unclear. With increased interest in applying TBS to nonmotor regions for research and clinical purposes, these effects must be understood and characterized.

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It has been suggested that aberrant excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance and dysfunctional structure and function of relevant brain networks may underlie the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the nomological network linking these constructs to quantifiable measures and mechanistically relating these constructs to behavioral symptoms of ASD is lacking. Herein we describe a within-subject, controlled, proof-of-mechanism study investigating the pathophysiology of auditory/language processing in adolescents with ASD.

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The emergence of psychiatric symptoms is a common consequence of childhood stress exposure. However, there are a dearth of reliable clinical hallmarks or physiological biomarkers to predict post-trauma symptom emergence. The objective of this study was to examine if childhood stressors and stress-related symptoms are associated with altered midline theta power (MTP) during cognitive control demands, and how these associations interact with gender and early adversity.

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Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have recently emerged as alternative, nonpharmacological interventions for a variety of psychiatric, neurological, and neurodevelopmental conditions. NIBS is beginning to be applied in both research and clinical settings for the treatment of core and associated symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including social communication deficits, restricted and repetitive behaviors, irritability, hyperactivity, depression and impairments in executive functioning and sensorimotor integration. Though there is much promise for these targeted device-based interventions, in other disorders (including adult major depressive disorder (MDD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) where rTMS is FDA cleared), data on the safety and efficacy of these interventions in individuals with ASD is limited especially in younger children when neurodevelopmental interventions typically begin.

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Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has emerged as a pivotal noninvasive technique for investigating cortical excitability and plasticity across the lifespan, offering valuable insights into neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes. In this review, we explore the impact of TMS applications on our understanding of normal development, healthy aging, neurodevelopmental disorders, and adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases. By presenting key developmental milestones and age-related changes in TMS measures, we provide a foundation for understanding the maturation of neurotransmitter systems and the trajectory of cognitive functions throughout the lifespan.

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Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMS) is caused by deletions at chromosome 22q13.3 or pathogenic/likely pathogenic SHANK3 variants. The clinical presentation is extremely variable and includes global developmental delay/intellectual disability (ID), seizures, neonatal hypotonia, and sleep disturbances, among others.

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Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder associated with multiple neurobehavioral abnormalities. The Rett Syndrome Behaviour Questionnaire (RSBQ) was developed for pediatric RTT observational studies. Because its application has expanded to adult and interventional studies, we evaluated the RSBQ's psychometric properties in six pediatric (n = 323) and five adult (n = 309) datasets.

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Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is associated with the modulation of a range of clinical, cognitive, and behavioural outcomes, but specific neurobiological effects remain somewhat unclear. This systematic literature review investigated resting-state and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) outcomes post-TBS in healthy human adults. Fifty studies that applied either continuous-or intermittent-(c/i) TBS, and adopted a pretest-posttest or sham-controlled design, were included.

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Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technique for focal brain stimulation based on electromagnetic induction where a fluctuating magnetic field induces a small intracranial electric current in the brain. For more than 35 years, TMS has shown promise in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders in adults. In this review, we provide a brief introduction to the TMS technique with a focus on repetitive TMS (rTMS) protocols, particularly theta-burst stimulation (TBS), and relevant rTMS-derived metrics of brain plasticity.

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Background: Low frequency (≤1 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to suppress cortical excitability and is beginning to be trialed for the treatment of refractory epilepsy.

Purpose: As a step toward a larger trial, the current pilot study was aimed to test the tolerability and safety of temporal lobe rTMS using H-coil for the treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Research Design: 1800 pulses of active or sham rTMS were applied 5  days a week for 2 weeks over the temporal lobe of the affected hemisphere.

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Article Synopsis
  • Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS) is a rare genetic disorder linked to intellectual disability, autistic traits, speech delays, and seizures, with this study focusing specifically on the prevalence and causes of seizures in affected individuals.
  • In a sample of 57 participants, it was found that 46% experienced seizures, with absence and grand-mal seizures being the most common types, and a strong correlation between seizures and specific genetic mutations, particularly in the SHANK3 gene.
  • The study identified a unique metabolic profile in those with PMS and seizures, indicating disrupted energy utilization, and highlights the importance of these findings for better understanding and managing seizures in patients with PMS.
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Article Synopsis
  • Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability and autism, characterized by synaptic development issues, with mouse models showing symptoms like anxiety and hyperactivity.
  • The drug ANAVEX2-73 (blarcamesine), which acts as a sigma-1 receptor agonist, has shown promise in improving cognitive and behavioral issues associated with FXS in mouse studies by normalizing hyperactivity and anxiety-like behaviors.
  • The findings suggest that blarcamesine could be a viable treatment option for FXS and potentially other neurodevelopmental disorders due to its effects on synaptic function and receptor activity.
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Objective: To test whether change in motor evoked potential (ΔMEP) induced by continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) of motor cortex (M1) distinguishes adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from neurotypicals, and to explore the contribution of two common polymorphisms related to neuroplasticity.

Methods: 44 adult neurotypical (NT) participants (age 21-65, 34 males) and 19 adults with ASD (age 21-58, 17 males) prospectively underwent M1 cTBS. Their data were combined with previously obtained results from 35 NT and 35 ASD adults.

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Adolescent depression is a potentially lethal condition and a leading cause of disability for this age group. There is an urgent need for novel efficacious treatments since half of adolescents with depression fail to respond to current therapies and up to 70% of those who respond will relapse within 5 years. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults who do not respond to pharmacological or behavioral interventions.

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This exploratory study examined multiple units of working memory (WM) analysis in a transdiagnostic, treatment-seeking, pediatric sample. This included a) an electroencephalography marker of WM (coupling of theta and gamma oscillations [i.e.

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Background: Since the year 2000, over 342 000 military service members have experienced a concussion, often associated with chronic neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive symptoms. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocols have been developed for many of these symptoms in the general population.

Objective: To conduct a scoping review of the literature on rTMS for neuropsychological and neurocognitive symptoms following concussion.

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: A neurophysiologic biomarker for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is highly desirable and can improve diagnosis, monitoring, and assessment of therapeutic response among children with ASD. We investigated the utility of continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) applied to the motor cortex (M1) as a biomarker for children and adolescents with high-functioning (HF) ASD compared to their age- and gender-matched typically developing (TD) controls. We also compared the developmental trajectory of long-term depression- (LTD-) like plasticity in the two groups.

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