Both intramuscular ketamine and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) effectively reduced depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant depression. In a naturalistic clinical setting, 24 patients received either eight sessions of ketamine or 30 sessions of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex intermittent theta-burst stimulation. Both groups showed significant improvement from pre- to post-treatment on three clinical assessments, with no significant differences between the therapies in symptom reduction, remission, or response rates, indicating they were equally effective in this limited sample.
Conscious experiences are linked to brain activity, known as the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC). This review focuses on spontaneous brain oscillations—rhythmic fluctuations of neuronal activity characterized by frequency, amplitude, and phase. It surveys oscillatory measures that correlate with conscious perception and discusses techniques like entrainment for studying their causal role. Findings suggest that alpha-band activity (7-13 Hz) may index or causally support conscious perception. However, results highlight a challenge in NCC research: separating neural activity that is a prerequisite for consciousness from the substrate or consequences of conscious experience.