MST showed similar efficacy to right unilateral ECT in patients with treatment-resistant depression without cognitive side effects but in a sample that was only of sufficient size to demonstrate relatively large differences in response between the two groups. Future research should aim to optimize the methods of MST administration and compare its efficacy to ECT in large randomized controlled trials.

In the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial, neither systemic hypothermia nor supplemental protective drug affected short- or long-term neurologic outcomes of patients undergoing temporary clipping.

In conclusion, MST shows antidepressant efficacy without apparent cognitive side effects. However, substantial research is required to understand the optimal conditions for stimulation and to compare MST to established treatments including ECT.

Background Perioperative hypothermia has been reported to increase the occurrence of cardiovascular complications. By increasing sympathetic nervous system activity, perioperative hypothermia also has the potential to increase cardiac injury and dysfunction associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods The Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial randomized patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm surgery to intraoperative hypothermia (n = 499, 33.3 ± 0.8°C) or normothermia (n = 501, 36.7 ± 0.5°C). Cardiovascular events (hypotension, arrhythmias, vasopressor use, myocardial infarction, etc.) were prospectively followed until 3 month follow-up and were compared between hypothermic and normothermic patients. A subset of 62 patients (hypothermia, n = 33; normothermia, n = 29) also had preoperative and postoperative (within 24 h) measurement of cardiac troponin-I and echocardiography to explore the association between perioperative hypothermia and subarachnoid hemorrhage-associated myocardial injury and left ventricular function. Results There was no difference between hypothermic and normothermic patients in the occurrence of any single cardiovascular event or in composite cardiovascular events. There was no difference in mortality (6%) between groups and there was only a single primary cardiovascular death (normothermia). There was no difference between hypothermic and normothermic patients in post- vs. preoperative left ventricular regional wall motion or ejection fraction. Compared with preoperative values, hypothermic patients had no postoperative increase in cardiac troponin-I (median change 0.00 μg/L) whereas normothermic patients had a small postoperative increase (median change + 0.01 μg/L, P = 0.038). Conclusion In patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm surgery, perioperative hypothermia was not associated with an increased occurrence of cardiovascular events.