Fast brain stimulation shows promise for stubborn depression
NCT ID NCT06783361
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested an accelerated form of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in 50 adults with treatment-resistant depression. Participants received 50 sessions over two weeks, comparing a bilateral approach (stimulating both sides of the brain) with a unilateral one (stimulating only the left side). The goal was to see which method better reduces depression and anxiety symptoms. TMS is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate brain areas linked to mood.
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) – a non-invasive brain stimulation device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a faster, more effective TMS protocol for people with depression that hasn't responded to medication.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study (50 people) comparing two TMS methods. Results may not apply to everyone, and TMS can cause scalp discomfort or headache. It is not a cure.
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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50 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2024
- Finished
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Aug 2025
- 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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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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: 1. 18 to 65 years old 2. Patients diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder according to DSM 5 and the severity of their illness 3. Scoring 7 points or more on the Maudsley staging method 4. Having depression unresponsive to 2 different antidepressants 5. No clinical mental retardation 6. Agree to participate in the study 7. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 \[HDRS\] score of 20 or higher 8. Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale \[MADRS\] score of 20 or above 9. Being right hand dominant 10. Having used the same antidepressant at the same dose for the last 4 weeks Exclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosed with a neurological or metabolic disease that affects cognitive functions (Systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic renal failure, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, polyneuropathy, inflammatory rheumatologic disease and malignancies) 2. Having a foreign body such as a pacemaker, intracranial implant that can magnetically interact 3. Hearing and visual impairments that prevent communication 4. Unstable or acute medical conditions 5. Pregnancy or breastfeeding 6. Having a primary psychiatric disorder other than major depressive disorder 7. Being diagnosed with severe MDD with psychotic features
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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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Ataturk University
Erzurum, 25240, Turkey (Türkiye)
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