Brain zap tweak could boost depression therapy

NCT ID NCT07242105

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Stanford University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This Stanford study is testing new ways to measure brain activity in people with depression using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The goal is to find better markers that could make TMS treatment more effective. The study involves 145 adults with moderate-to-severe depression and compares different TMS settings to see which ones produce the clearest brain signals.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to more precise TMS treatments for depression by identifying reliable brain activity markers.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage methods study, not a treatment trial. It may not directly improve depression outcomes, and results may not apply to all patients.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 145 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Oct 2025

Expected to finish

Nov 2029

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women, ages 18 to 65 * Diagnosis of major depressive disorder, assessed through a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5) * In a current depressive episode, assessed through a Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (SCID-5) * Moderate-to-severe depression as indicated by a score between 11-20 on the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS) * Must comprehend English well to ensure adequate comprehension of the EEG and TMS instructions, and of clinical scales * No current or history of neurological disorders * No seizure disorder or risk of seizures * Neurosurgical patients: Men and women ages 18-65 with medication-refractory epilepsy who are admitted for phase II intracranial monitoring to detect a seizure focus will be considered appropriate for this study. Participants must have the intellectual capacity to understand the consent process and agree to the study. Exclusion Criteria: * Those with a contraindication for MRIs (e.g. implanted metal) * History of head trauma with loss of consciousness * History of seizures or on medications that reduce seizure threshold (e.g., olanzapine, chlorpromazine, lithium) * Neurological or uncontrolled medical disease * Any unstable medical condition * Active substance abuse * Diagnosis of psychotic or bipolar disorder * A prior history of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) failure * History of suicide attempt in the past year * Currently pregnant or breastfeeding * Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) treatment in the past six months

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Major depressive disorder

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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A doctor treating you

A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Brain zap tweak could boost depression therapy

What the study statuses mean