Scientists to watch depression treatment reshape the brain in real time

NCT ID NCT07620288

Not yet recruiting Knowledge-focused Sponsor: The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study will use advanced brain scans to see how a quick, 3-minute form of magnetic brain stimulation changes the brain in people with major depression. Twenty adults will receive one week of treatment and have PET and MRI scans before and after. The goal is to understand the brain mechanisms behind the treatment, not to test if it works.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) - specifically intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS)
What this could lead to: If successful, this study could reveal exactly how this brain stimulation treatment changes the brain, helping to develop faster and more effective depression therapies.
What could go wrong: This is a very small, early-stage study (20 people) with no control group, so results may not apply to everyone. It is designed to understand brain changes, not to prove the treatment works.

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

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depression depressive disorder major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

DEPRESSION DEPRESSION - MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER DEPRESSIVE EPISODE MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD)

Contacts and locations

Locations

The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research

Ottawa, Ontario, K1Z 7K4, Canada

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