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TMS BIOMARKERS TRIAL

A well-powered multisite clinical trial that aims to advance a biomarker-driven approach to identifying which patients will benefit from transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and through which mechanisms.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is becoming a gold standard in treatment for pharmacoresistant depression; however, we still lack target-driven biomarkers to identify who is most likely to respond to rTMS and what changes in the brain drive this response. In the proposed biomarker-driven observational study we focus on neural networks for cognitive control implicated in the mechanisms of the effect of rTMS and in clinical and functional outcomes in pharmacoresistant depression.

This is a multisite study being conducted at VA Palo Alto, Stanford University, Providence VAMC, Brown University, White River Junction VAMC, Dartmouth College, Minneapolis VAMC, and the University of Minnesota.

To learn more about our rTMS study, read our recent article in Psychiatric News, "TMS May Help Reduce Symptoms of Depression, PTSD in Veterans" and watch the VA Palo Alto Health Care System Veterans Teletown Hall talk given by Dr. Michelle Madore at the link below:

Watch Here

Recruitment

Subjects are recruited through treatment at one of the participating VA locations.

Goals

We hope to determine specific biomarkers that may predict the efficacy of rTMS treatment for depression.

Our Methods

This study plans to enroll 125 veterans who are receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Locally we plan to enroll 25 research participants.

Meet the Team

Leanne Williams, PhD

Leyla Boyar

Michelle Madore, PhD

Isabelle Wydler

Laura Hack, MD, PhD

Divya Rajasekharan

Timothy Lyons

This study is currently collecting data.

Findings

rTMS is funded through a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) multisite grant.

Grant: R01MH120126, NCT04663841