Brain zaps tailored to you: new hope for stubborn depression?
NCT ID NCT05144789
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 30, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tested a personalized brain stimulation technique called accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation (aiTBS) in 79 people with treatment-resistant depression. The goal was to see if targeting specific brain areas could ease symptoms like loss of pleasure (anhedonia). Participants received either active stimulation or a sham procedure, and their depression levels were measured before and after treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation (aiTBS) using a transcranial magnetic stimulation device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new, personalized brain stimulation treatment for people with hard-to-treat depression who don't respond to standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 79 participants. The results may not apply to everyone with depression, and the effects might not last long-term.
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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine
Stanford, California, 94305, United States
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