Brain scans could make TMS for depression more precise

NCT ID NCT05680727

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Aug 26, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study tests whether using brain scans to guide transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) works better than standard head measurements for treating depression. Participants with major depressive disorder receive accelerated TMS, but they won't know if their treatment spot was chosen by neuroimaging or by traditional methods. The goal is to see if personalized targeting improves depression scores one month 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
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could show that personalized brain imaging improves TMS outcomes for depression, leading to more effective treatments.
What could go wrong
This is a small Phase 2 trial, so results may not apply to everyone. The benefit of imaging-guided targeting may be small or absent, and TMS can cause headache or scalp discomfort.

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

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

40 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jul 2023

Finished

Feb 2026

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

22 to 80 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

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: * English proficiency sufficient for informed consent, questionnaires/tasks, and treatment * Primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-V criteria (MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview) * \>20 on BDI * \>20 on the MADRS 10, 11 * Moderate to severe level of treatment resistance (Maudsley Staging Method) * Stable antidepressant medication regimen, or remain medication free, for 4 weeks prior to treatment and to remain on this regimen throughout the study (including all follow-up assessments after the 5-day treatment protocol). * Primary clinician responsible for psychiatric care before, during, and after the trial * Agreement to lifestyle considerations * Abstain from becoming pregnant from screening through end of treatment * Continue usual intake patterns of caffeine- or xanthine-containing products (e.g., coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) throughout treatment * Abstain from alcohol for at least 24 hours before the start of each MRI and TMS session * Abstain from tobacco products during treatment day Exclusion Criteria: * Active pregnancy as determined by a urine pregnancy test * Primary psychiatric diagnosis other than major depressive disorder requiring treatment other than comorbid anxiety disorder * Those who did not respond to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) after 8 sessions * Recent (within 4 weeks) or concurrent use of rapid acting antidepressant agent (ketamine/esketamine/ECT) * History of: * Prior exposure to TMS * Neurosurgical intervention for depression * Autism spectrum disorder * Intellectual disability * Severe cognitive impairment * Significant neurological illness (e.g., dementia, Parkinson's, Huntington's, brain tumor, seizure disorder, subdural hematoma, multiple sclerosis, brain lesion) * Untreated or insufficiently treated endocrine disorder * Treatment with investigational drug or intervention during the study period * Depth-adjusted TMS treatment dose \> 65% maximum stimulator output * ≥ 30% change in MADRS score between screening and baseline * Anyone presenting with: * Mania or hypomania * Psychosis * Active suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt (defined by C-SSRS) within the past year * Neurological lesion * Contraindications to either TMS or MRI (e.g., metallic implants, severe insomnia \> 4 hours per night with hypnotic, etc.). * Current moderate or severe substance use disorder or demonstrating signs of acute substance withdrawal * Positive urine drug screen for illicit substances * Severe borderline personality disorder * Any other condition deemed by the PI to interfere with the study or increase risk to the participant

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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

  • Brigham and Women's Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

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