Brain scans may end guesswork in treating stubborn depression
NCT ID NCT07680140
First seen Jul 02, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether brain imaging and clinical data can help select the best treatment for people with depression that hasn't improved with standard therapies. Participants receive either repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) or ketamine, and researchers check if certain biomarkers predict who responds better to which option. The goal is to develop a tool that speeds up effective treatment and reduces the trial-and-error process.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- rTMS (brain stimulation) and ketamine (medication)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could help doctors quickly match people with treatment-resistant depression to the therapy most likely to work for them, reducing trial-and-error.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with only 27 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The biomarker tool may not reliably predict responses, and both rTMS and ketamine have side effects.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, New York, 10065, United States
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
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