Brain zap study aims to fine-tune depression treatment
NCT ID NCT04243798
First seen Apr 01, 2026 · Last updated Jun 20, 2026 · Updated 8 times
Summary
This study tested different doses of a brain stimulation technique called TMS in 48 people with treatment-resistant depression. The goal was to see how the stimulation changes brain connections and how that relates to mood. Half got real stimulation, half got a fake version, and all had brain scans to measure the effects.
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine
Stanford, California, 94305, United States
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 help doctors choose the best TMS dose for depression, making treatment more effective.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study focused on brain scans, not on proving the treatment works. The results may not lead to better treatments.
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.