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Tried Antidepressants? How TMS Fits In
TMS is being studied for Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment, with some encouraging results. An honest look at the brain targets, the treatment schedules, why age changes the dose, and what TMS can and cannot do. Estimated read time: about 11 minutes.
The THREE-D Trial – iTBS Non-Inferior to Standard rTMS for Depression (Blumberger et al. 2018)
The THREE-D Trial – iTBS Non-Inferior to Standard rTMS for Depression (Blumberger et al. 2018) What this study was Who was studied What the protocol involved What the results showed What it means and what it doesn’t Why this study matters for patients What this study was The THREE-D trial is the largest randomized controlled trial comparing intermittent theta burst stimulation to standard high-frequency rTMS for major depressive disorder. It was a non-inferiority trial, meaning its primary question was not whether iTBS was better than rTMS, but whether it was at least as good. It was conducted across multiple Canadian
D-Cycloserine Augmentation of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation for Major Depressive Disorder (Cole, Sohn et al., 2022)
D-Cycloserine Augmentation of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation for Major Depressive Disorder (Cole, Sohn et al., 2022) What this study was Who was studied What the protocol involved What the results showed What it means — and what it doesn’t Why this study matters for patients What this study was This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating whether D-cycloserine a partial NMDA receptor agonist improves the antidepressant effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation when administered immediately before each TMS session. It was conducted at the University of Calgary and published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2022 by Cole, Sohn, McGirr
The ONE-D Study — One-Day Theta Burst Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression (Vaughn et al., 2025)
The ONE-D Study — One-Day Theta Burst Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression (Vaughn et al., 2025) What this study was Who was studied What the protocol involved What the results showed What it means — and what it doesn’t Why this study matters for patients What this study was The ONE-D study is the first published clinical trial evaluating a complete course of accelerated iTBS delivered in a single day, augmented with D-cycloserine to enhance neuroplasticity throughout treatment. It was conducted at the University of Toronto and affiliated sites under the direction of researchers including Dr. Jonathan Downar, one of the
The Stanford SAINT Protocol – SNT Trial
The Stanford SAINT Protocol SNT Trial (Cole et al., 2022) The Stanford SAINT Protocol SNT Trial (Cole et al., 2022) What this study was Who was studied What the protocol involved What the results showed What it means and what it doesn’t Why this study matters for patients What the Stanford SAINT Protocol was The Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy trial, commonly called the SAINT study or SNT trial, is the most rigorous published evaluation of accelerated iTBS for treatment-resistant depression. It was a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial, meaning neither patients nor the clinical staff administering treatment knew who was receiving real