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May 21, 2026Open Access

Beyond Mood: Broader Psychological Changes Associated With Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for Major Depressive Disorder

Key Points

The study aims to explore the psychological changes associated with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in young individuals with major depressive disorder.
Participants assessed using MADRS at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-ups
Initial cohort of 8 participants with a target of 25 for enrollment
Monitored symptoms including fatigue and sleepiness for tolerability
MADRS scores reduced from 38 to 13 by Day 5, a 66% decrease, with 5 out of 6 participants reaching remission at 1-month follow-up
C-SSRS scores reduced from 14.5 to 6.8, a 68% decrease
Accelerated iTBS was well tolerated without serious adverse events or discontinuations

Abstract

methods.Depressive symptoms were measured using the Montgomery-sberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at baseline, after each treatment day, and at 1-and 4-week follow-up visits.Eight participants have been enrolled to date with a target enrollment of 25 participants.Results: Preliminary findings from the first 8 participants (mean age=21, SD=4.3) indicate both promising clinical response and good tolerability.Baseline MADRS mean score of 38 (SD=4) decreased to 13 (SD=9) by Day 5 (66% reduction), with 5 out of 6 participants achieving remission-level scores (MADRS 10) at 1month follow-up.Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) scores decreased from a mean of 14.5 (SD=1.1) to 6.8 (SD=2.7)(68% reduction).Accelerated iTBS was well tolerated, with only mild to moderate symptoms, most commonly fatigue and sleepiness, and no serious adverse events or treatment discontinuations.Discussion: Overall, preliminary data suggests early signals of efficacy of aiTBS for treatment of depression in adolescents and young adults.Establishing the feasibility of this treatment may support broader adoption of aiTBS as a rapid intervention for highrisk youth.

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