Personalized brain zaps: a new hope for tough depression?
NCT ID NCT07528157
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a brain stimulation treatment for depression called iTBS can be improved by customizing it to each person's brain signals. Researchers will use EEG to measure brain responses and find the best stimulation settings for 80 adults with treatment-resistant depression. The goal is to see if personalized settings work better than standard ones.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) delivered via a device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a more effective, personalized way to treat depression that doesn't respond to standard treatments.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study focused on measuring brain signals, not yet testing if the personalized treatment actually improves depression symptoms. The approach may not translate into better outcomes.
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
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 80 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jun 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * Aged 18-65 years * Clinical diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), confirmed by structured clinical interview * Current moderate-to-severe depressive episode (MADRS score ≥ 20) * Moderate-to-severe treatment resistance, assessed using the Maudsley Staging Method * Able to comprehend English sufficiently to complete study procedures and assessments * Able to maintain stable antidepressant regimen or remain medication-free for at least 4 weeks prior to and during the study Exclusion Criteria: * Primary psychiatric diagnosis other than MDD * Contraindications to MRI (e.g., implanted metal) * Conditions or medications that may increase risk associated with TMS * Prior exposure to repetitive TMS (rTMS) * Non-response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) * History of psychosurgery for depression * High suicidal risk as assessed by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Stanford University
Stanford, California, 94305, United States
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