Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026
Robotically Delivered fMRI-Guided Personalized Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Published on: April 10, 2026
[Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in depression: results of bi-weekly treatment]
Raphael Boechat-Barros1, Joaquim Pereira Brasil-Neto
1Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade de Brasília, DF, Brazil.
Objective:
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has been shown to be a useful therapy for depression. This paper evaluates the results of bi-weekly low-frequency TMS of 4 weeks duration, in 10 patients with depression who do not respond or are intolerant to antidepressive medication.
Methods:
This is a case series study. DMS-IV criteria were used to diagnose depression. In order to disclose possible improvements in depressive symptoms, the 17 items Hamilton scale was used at three different moments: at the beginning, middle and end of the treatment period. Results were analysed using Friedman's chi2 test.
Results:
Hamilton's scale score improvement was > 50% in five patients and > 75% in 3 of these.
Conclusions:
TMS may be efficacious, safe and easily performed as an adjunct to medical treatment of depression. We cannot differentiate a potentiation of the effect of antidepressive medication from an intrinsic effect of TMS alone, since we did not treat any subjects without the concurrent use of medication.
