Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40849567›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Repeated theta burst stimulation of the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex reveals strong habituation in the context of stress and rumination.

Isabell Int-Veen, Cosima Eisenlohr, Ramona Täglich, Betti Schopp, Hans-Christoph Nuerk, Christian Plewnia, Stefanie De Smet, Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt, Agnes Kroczek, Beatrix Barth and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Isabell Int-VeenTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. isabell.int-veen@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
Cosima EisenlohrDepartment of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Ramona TäglichTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Betti SchoppTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Hans-Christoph NuerkDepartment of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Christian PlewniaTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Stefanie De SmetDepartment of Head and Skin, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Marie-Anne VanderhasseltDepartment of Head and Skin, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Agnes KroczekTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Beatrix BarthTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Andreas J FallgatterTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Ann-Christine EhlisTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
David RosenbaumTübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Prefrontal hypoactivation under stress has been consistently observed in individuals with high trait rumination and in patients with depression. However, no study has yet investigated the mechanisms of modulating activity of the Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex (VLPFC) by using excitatory and inhibitory Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) in this context. To address this, we recruited 89 healthy participants (44 low trait ruminators and 45 high trait ruminators) who attended two lab sessions, each including stress induction via the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Participants received either excitatory intermittent TBS (iTBS) or inhibitory continuous TBS (cTBS). One session involved active TBS, while the other used sham TBS (sTBS), with the order randomized and balanced across stimulation conditions and groups. In high ruminators, we observed a significant impact of iTBS in the hypothesized direction when considering cortical oxygenation in the right VLPFC. We found higher subjective stress following iTBS and cTBS compared to sTBS during recovery of the TSST but only at the first appointment. No stimulation-dependent effects were found for other measures (state rumination, positive and negative affect, and heart rates). In our discussion, we draw conclusions concerning repeated-measures designs in TBS-studies.

Indexed as

Habituation, PsychophysiologicPrefrontal CortexRumination, CognitiveStress, PsychologicalTheta RhythmTranscranial Magnetic StimulationAdultFemaleHumansMaleYoung AdultAppraisalRuminationStressTheta Burst StimulationTrier Social Stress TestVLPFC

Identifiers

PMID40849567
PMCPMC12375055

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.