Magnetic pulses to the brain: a new hope for depression?
NCT ID NCT04392947
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a type of brain stimulation called theta burst stimulation (TBS) can help people with major depression who haven't gotten enough relief from standard treatments. 238 adults with moderate to severe depression received either real TBS or a sham (fake) version daily for 6 weeks, alongside their usual care. The goal was to see if TBS could reduce depression scores by at least half.
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) – theta burst stimulation
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a non-drug add-on treatment to ease depression symptoms for people who haven't responded well to antidepressants.
What could go wrong
This is a completed trial, but results are not yet published. The effect may be small or no better than sham, and it requires daily clinic visits for 6 weeks.
Disclaimer
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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.
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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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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Locations
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Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Bezirkskrankenhaus Augsburg
Augsburg, 86156, Germany
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University of Leipzig, Dept. Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Leipzig, Germany
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University of Munich
Munich, 80336, Germany
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University of Regensburg, Dept. Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Regensburg, 93053, Germany
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University of Tuebingen, Dept Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Tübingen, 72076, Germany
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University of Um, Dept. Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Ulm, 89075, Germany
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University of Wuerzburg, Dept. Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Würzburg, Germany