Chronic depression causes long-term structural and functional brain damage, making new effective therapies for depressed patients essential. Up to 30% of patients with depression are resistant to treatment and experience adverse effects. Alternative therapies may help achieve remission when used separately or with traditional therapies. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (tMS) are helpful therapeutic interventions for major depression (MMD). tDCS and tMS are noninvasive techniques that modulate the excitability of different brain regions. It has been shown to be safe and effective as monotherapy or in combination with other therapeutic interventions, such as antidepressants or psychotherapy. This review analyzes the current knowledge of using tDCS and tMS in animal models and clinical studies, both as monotherapy and/or combined with other therapeutic approaches.

Sleep deprivation (SD) continues to be used today to examine the role of sleep across diverse cognitive domains. Extensive research has been conducted to investigate the impact of SD on memory, though findings across studies have been inconsistent. This meta-analysis systematically assessed the effects of SD on memory performance in rats and identified the factors that may moderate these effects. PubMed, PsychInfo, Google scholar, and Scopus databases were used to search for studies. Out of 128 identified studies, 25 studies with 78 reports were included in the final analysis. A random effects meta-analysis was performed, along with subgroup analysis and meta-regression. The results showed that overall, SD has a negative impact on memory in rats. Additionally, sex, memory response type, and number of learning trials for spatial tasks can act as moderators of the relationship between SD and memory. The type of memory task and assessment method used contributed to variability in observed outcomes, with hippocampus-dependent tasks showing the most pronounced memory impairments. The number of learning trials for spatial tasks also moderated the effects, with more trials mitigating the impact of SD. These findings reinforce the role of sleep in memory, particularly for hippocampus-dependent tasks.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses and, despite the availability of multiple treatment options, remains difficult to treat for a substantial proportion of patients. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an important therapeutic approach for depression, modulating brain activity through targeted magnetic pulses in a non-invasive manner. This review examined scientific evidence from clinical trials, large-scale analyses, and laboratory investigations regarding the effectiveness and safety of rTMS, as well as its role within contemporary therapeutic strategies for depression. In addition to conventional rTMS, the review addresses theta-burst stimulation (TBS), deep TMS, and various approaches aimed at enhancing treatment efficacy or accelerating clinical response, while also discussing the practical utility of different stimulation devices. rTMS applied to specific regions of the prefrontal cortex has demonstrated significant antidepressant effects, and intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) appears to achieve comparable outcomes within a shorter time frame. Research further indicates that rTMS is associated with neurobiological changes in brain connectivity, modulation of neurotransmitter systems, and the promotion of neuroplasticity. Across studies, rTMS is generally considered safe, with reported adverse effects being mild and transient. However, further research is needed to optimize stimulation protocols, clarify medium and long-term effects, individualize treatment approaches, and determine the durability of therapeutic benefits.

Sleep deprivation has shown promise in rapidly alleviating depression symptoms without adverse effects, its impact on memory remains unclear, especially in depressed individuals. The study investigates the effects of total sleep deprivation on depression symptomatology and memory in aged rats with induced depression. The experiments were carried out on 8 adult male Sprague Dawley rats. A depression model was induced using the chronic retention stress paradigm. Total Sleep Deprivation was achieved using the gentle handling procedure. Behavioral tests, including the open field test, Y-maze, and novel object recognition test, were conducted to assess locomotor activity, spatial working memory, object recognition memory and depressive symptomatology. Sleep deprivation resulted in an initial increase in locomotor activity and exploration behaviors across different experimental setups. This heightened activity tended to normalize over time, suggesting a transient response to the lack of sleep. However, the total time spent in these zones was not significantly different from controls, suggesting that the fundamental engagement with the environment might remain intact despite altered entry behaviors. This suggests that the cognitive components of these behaviors may be resilient to short-term sleep loss. Overall, these findings suggest that the role of sleep is facilitating rather than essential in memory.

Background: Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a patterned form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), has gained increasing attention as a time-efficient neuromodulation protocol for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, its clinical effectiveness in individuals with co-occurring depression and anxiety remains insufficiently characterized. This systematic review aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes, including depressive and anxiety symptom severity, response, and remission, following rTMS in individuals with major depressive disorder and elevated anxiety symptoms. The primary outcome was the reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms, while secondary outcomes included response and remission rates, adverse events, and potential predictors of treatment response. Methods: A systematic search was performed following the PRISMA guidelines in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Elsevier, Google Scholar. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251117784). Six studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected as eligible; these included one randomized controlled trial, one controlled clinical trial, three open-label studies, and one retrospective study on iTBS alone or compared to conventional 10 Hz rTMS or pharmacotherapy. iTBS has demonstrated safety and efficacy in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms. The response rate ranged between 30 and 60%, and the remission rate between 10 and 40%. Regarding comparative findings, the results are mixed, with some studies showing superior or comparable improvements to 10 Hz rTMS and others reporting no significant differences. Reported treatment outcomes were largely influenced by age, baseline severity, medication status, and comorbid anxiety. Antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and benzodiazepines were associated with attenuated clinical benefit, and bupropion use was associated with increased response. Conclusions: Current evidence supports iTBS as an effective, well-tolerated, and time-efficient intervention for adults with depression and comorbid anxiety. However, variability in treatment outcomes and limited mechanistic data highlight the need for larger, harmonized, and mechanistically informed randomized trials to refine stimulation parameters, improve patient stratification, and clarify the neurobiological substrates of treatment response.

Background/Objectives: Deception engages both emotional and cognitive processes, yet individual variability in these responses remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate how personality traits, perceived stress, and empathic distress shape psychophysiological and neurobiological responses during deception and emotional processing. Methods: Thirty healthy young adults completed a protocol combining a deception task with emotional stimulus exposure, while heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity were continuously recorded. Participants were characterized using measures of Dark Triad traits, perceived stress (PSS-10), and empathic distress. Results: The results showed increased HR and reduced HRV during deceptive responses, reflecting heightened cognitive effort and autonomic arousal. In contrast, morally or socially evaluative stimuli were associated with right-frontal EEG asymmetry, suggesting engagement of emotional regulation processes. Cluster analysis revealed distinct reactivity profiles: individuals with high stress and empathic distress exhibited amplified autonomic activation and reduced cortical inhibition, whereas those with higher Machiavellianism and psychopathy displayed attenuated HR/HRV modulation and stable EEG patterns, suggestive of emotional detachment and adaptive inhibition. These findings suggest that deception is a dynamic, context-dependent process influenced by individual personality traits and stress-regulation capacities. Conclusions: The study offers valuable insights into the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying deceptive behavior, with meaningful implications for both forensic and affective neuroscience.