Brain zaps and online therapy: a new combo for depression?
NCT ID NCT05988619
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether adding internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) helps people with major depression more than TMS alone. Forty adults receiving TMS at UCLA also completed online therapy modules. Researchers measured changes in depression symptoms using several questionnaires.
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) and Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT)
- What this could lead to
- If this works, it could point toward a more effective and convenient treatment for depression by combining brain stimulation with online therapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 40 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The added benefit of online therapy over TMS alone is uncertain.
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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40 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Mar 2021
- Finished
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Sep 2024
- 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 years and older
- 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Subjects with Major Depressive Disorder who are receiving a full course of TMS treatment in at the UCLA TMS Clinic. Eligibility is determined by TMS physicians who are co-investigators on this study. Exclusion Criteria: Any indications of metal implants, pregnancy, psychosis, autism spectrum disorders, complex regional pain syndromes, substance use dependence and comorbidities that would interfere with treatment response. The criteria are assessed using MINI interview and Hamilton Depression scale conducted by trained and certified interviewers. Participants may not participate if they are currently completing CBT outside of the study.
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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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UCLA TMS Clinical and Research Service
Los Angeles, California, 90024, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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