DepressionNCT05424224
Using rTMS to Treat Depression
An observational study of Depression, run by Florida International University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a promising, novel, non-invasive therapy for depression. In fact, there is an FDA-approved depression protocol to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Depression
- What is being tested?
- MagVita
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 9 Jan 2023to 25 Sep 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Any adult with symptoms of depression.
Who may be able to join
- Clinical diagnosis of Depression
- must be willing to cooperate.
Who cannot join
- implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemaker, medication pump, brain or vagus nerve stimulator, cochlear implant)
- history of seizures
- intracranial metal (e.g., aneurysm clip)
- inability of the participant to cooperate with the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) session
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Florida International University
Miami, Florida, 33174
About this study
Official title: Using Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for the Treatment of Depression
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a promising, novel, non-invasive therapy for depression. In fact, there is an FDA-approved depression protocol to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Its efficacy and safety have improved significantly with continued research and clinical experience. However, it is not known how to identify potential patients who would benefit most from treatment.
The primary goal of this study is to determine if changes in specific electroencephalogram (EEG) parameters after treatment can predict whether patients are responders or non-responders to rTMS. The second objective is to analyze changes in the functional connectivity of specific brain regions in responders compared to non-responders.
Read more
The hypothesis is that through rTMS treatment, investigators will be able to increase the activity in the frontal region that includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Scalp EEG signals will be processed in order to compare EEG brain connectivity and Frontal alpha asymmetry index (FAA) to determine if there are differences before and after the treatment. EEG FAA is usually calculated by subtracting the right-side EEG power estimates from the respective counterpart on the other side. According to literature, depressive patients seem to have comparatively higher left frontal alpha power. Cortical activity is related to a reduced EEG power, which is reflected in depressed subjects. On the other hand, higher alpha power could also be interpreted as inhibition.
Investigators will try to delineate changes in resting EEG functional connectivity before and after high-frequency left prefrontal rTMS, by using biomarkers such as: time/frequency connectivity, Alpha asymmetry index, among others. TMS also allows cortical properties, such as excitability, inhibition, oscillatory activity and connectivity to be directly probed within a specific region of the cortex. Other studies suggest that alterations in gamma oscillations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and neighboring frontal regions are also potential shared biomarkers in psychiatry, highlighting the potential of EEG signals to help identify suitable biomarkers. Given its relative low cost and ease of use, when compared to brain imaging tools such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET), EEG could be added to the clinical study so that precise neurophysiological changes before and after treatments can be assessed.
Read the detailed description
rTMS treatment for subjects who are suffering depression and are suitable for rTMS according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria using the FDA MagVenture: MagVita TMS system. This protocol will be conducted following the safety guidelines in order to minimize risk. Dr. Patricia Junquera will be present during the TMS sessions.
For this research study investigators are recruiting patients with depression. Two groups will be created:
Group 1 = Research-onlyGroup; with 2 sub-group: 1-A= TMS treatment up to 6 weeks and 1-B = SHAM 2 weeks + TMS treatment up to 4 weeks.
Group 2 = Treatment + research group, If voluntarily consenting, patients who obtain clinical treatment for depression with TMS at FIU Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) will have EEG, recorded (duration: 20min).
Group 1= Sub-Group 1-A and Sub-Group 1-B Sub-Group 1-A = Research intervention: ten patients will receive active rTMS during 6 weeks (30 sessions). EEG will be recorded before rTMS sessions during session 1, 10, and 30.
Sub-Group 1-B= Sham and research intervention : Blind-randomized trial 10 sessions of sham-controlled rTMS will be apply to ten patients, after the 2 weeks group 1-B would be incorporated for 4 weeks to the same protocol that group 1-A (Activer TMS). EEG will be acquire before the first session and after session 10 to compare and evaluate the efficacy of rTMS in depression for these two groups during the first two weeks.
Group 2 = Clinical Treatment + research group: If voluntarily consenting, patients who obtain clinical treatment for depression with TMS at FIU Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) will have EEG recorded at the beginning of treatment, session 10, session 20, and at the end of the protocol, session 30 (duration: 19 min).
Motor Threshold (MT) Determination has two purposes: to determine the location of the hand area of the motor cortex and to determine stimulation level. Once the motor cortex is found, a line is drawn on the patient's individual cap to show the operator where to place the coil when performing the actual depression treatments. The MT determination is performed on the left hemisphere because the subsequent depression treatments are performed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). When performing rTMS depression treatment, the stimulation level is defined as 120 % of MT
Treatments Steps:
Initial session with Motor Threshold (MT) determination, followed by 5 treatment sessions per week during a period of normally 2-6 weeks.
EEG recordings will be performed using the Xltek EEG (Electroencephalograph) system, designed for quick and convenient hook-up, it will record the brain's spontaneous electrical activity and evoked responses non-invasively from the scalp. Approximately 10-20 minutes of resting-state EEG will be recorded before rTMS sessions during session 1, 10 and 30).
Study will be conducted at ACC 145-145-A clinical facility, During treatment sessions, the patient is comfortably seated in the treatment chair with a vacuum pillow around the neck to provide optimal support of the head.
The study is of minimal risk with occasional side effects of the test are minor and brief headache from prolonged TMS stimulation.
Response and Treatment Protocol in case of Seizure:
In case a patient suffers the occurrence of a seizure during an rTMS session, the following steps are undertaken:
•If a seizure occurs, testing (TMS) will be postponed at least 1 hour, or until baseline function returns.
The significance of this work is to create a new understanding of the therapeutic effect of rTMS in participants with depression, using EEG to assess the lasting effects of the treatment. This can lead us to the creation of a maintenance protocol to prolong the effects of rTMS in this population.
- Conditions
- Depression
- Being tested
- MagVita
- Keywords
- Depression, rTMS, EEG
- Medical subject headings
- Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
MagVitaDevice
rTMS system
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| patients with depression | patients with depression Receives: Device: MagVita |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
EEG parameters to asses the change
Resting-state Electroencephalogram (EEG) can serve as an assessment signal that will determine the benefits of the treatment and the efficacy of this procedure. Frequency domain features will be extracted to analyze the change over the time of the treatment. Connectivity maps will be derived for the most important frequency bands( Delta, Theta, Alpha, and Beta).
Measured: Session 1(baseline), Session 10 ( after 2 weeks of treatment), and 30 ( treatment completion)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Jun 2022
- Study start9 Jan 2023
- Primary completion1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion25 Sep 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for DepressionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Florida International University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Malek Adjouadi, PhD, Florida International University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05424224
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-18-0298-CR03
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 17 May 2022
- Last updated
- 11 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: De-identified EEG will be shared to other researches .
Publications
Chu HT, Cheng CM, Liang CS, Chang WH, Juan CH, Huang YZ, Jeng JS, Bai YM, Tsai SJ, Chen MH, Li CT. Efficacy and tolerability of theta-burst stimulation for major depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021 Mar 2;106:110168. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110168. Epub 2020 Nov 7.
PubMed 33166668McClintock SM, Reti IM, Carpenter LL, McDonald WM, Dubin M, Taylor SF, Cook IA, O'Reardon J, Husain MM, Wall C, Krystal AD, Sampson SM, Morales O, Nelson BG, Latoussakis V, George MS, Lisanby SH; National Network of Depression Centers rTMS Task Group; American Psychiatric Association Council on Research Task Force on Novel Biomarkers and Treatments. Consensus Recommendations for the Clinical Application of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Depression. J Clin Psychiatry. 2018 Jan/Feb;79(1):16cs10905. doi: 10.4088/JCP.16cs10905.
PubMed 28541649Noda Y, Zomorrodi R, Saeki T, Rajji TK, Blumberger DM, Daskalakis ZJ, Nakamura M. Resting-state EEG gamma power and theta-gamma coupling enhancement following high-frequency left dorsolateral prefrontal rTMS in patients with depression. Clin Neurophysiol. 2017 Mar;128(3):424-432. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2016.12.023. Epub 2017 Jan 9.
PubMed 28160748Kelly MS, Oliveira-Maia AJ, Bernstein M, Stern AP, Press DZ, Pascual-Leone A, Boes AD. Initial Response to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment for Depression Predicts Subsequent Response. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2017 Spring;29(2):179-182. doi: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.16100181. Epub 2016 Nov 30.
PubMed 27899052
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Using Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for the Treatment of Depression
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05424224
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB-18-0298-CR03
- Conditions
- Depression
- Keywords
- Depression, rTMS, EEG
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Florida International UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 9 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 25 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Jun 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a promising, novel, non-invasive therapy for depression. In fact, there is an FDA-approved depression protocol to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Its efficacy and safety have improved significantly with continued research and clinical experience. However, it is not known how to identify potential patients who would benefit most from treatment.
The primary goal of this study is to determine if changes in specific electroencephalogram (EEG) parameters after treatment can predict whether patients are responders or non-responders to rTMS. The second objective is to analyze changes in the functional connectivity of specific brain regions in responders compared to non-responders.
The hypothesis is that through rTMS treatment, investigators will be able to increase the activity in the frontal region that includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Scalp EEG signals will be processed in order to compare EEG brain connectivity and Frontal alpha asymmetry index (FAA) to determine if there are differences before and after the treatment. EEG FAA is usually calculated by subtracting the right-side EEG power estimates from the respective counterpart on the other side. According to literature, depressive patients seem to have comparatively higher left frontal alpha power. Cortical activity is related to a reduced EEG power, which is reflected in depressed subjects. On the other hand, higher alpha power could also be interpreted as inhibition.
Investigators will try to delineate changes in resting EEG functional connectivity before and after high-frequency left prefrontal rTMS, by using biomarkers such as: time/frequency connectivity, Alpha asymmetry index, among others. TMS also allows cortical properties, such as excitability, inhibition, oscillatory activity and connectivity to be directly probed within a specific region of the cortex. Other studies suggest that alterations in gamma oscillations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and neighboring frontal regions are also potential shared biomarkers in psychiatry, highlighting the potential of EEG signals to help identify suitable biomarkers. Given its relative low cost and ease of use, when compared to brain imaging tools such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET), EEG could be added to the clinical study so that precise neurophysiological changes before and after treatments can be assessed.
Detailed description
rTMS treatment for subjects who are suffering depression and are suitable for rTMS according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria using the FDA MagVenture: MagVita TMS system. This protocol will be conducted following the safety guidelines in order to minimize risk. Dr. Patricia Junquera will be present during the TMS sessions.
For this research study investigators are recruiting patients with depression. Two groups will be created:
Group 1 = Research-onlyGroup; with 2 sub-group: 1-A= TMS treatment up to 6 weeks and 1-B = SHAM 2 weeks + TMS treatment up to 4 weeks.
Group 2 = Treatment + research group, If voluntarily consenting, patients who obtain clinical treatment for depression with TMS at FIU Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) will have EEG, recorded (duration: 20min).
Group 1= Sub-Group 1-A and Sub-Group 1-B Sub-Group 1-A = Research intervention: ten patients will receive active rTMS during 6 weeks (30 sessions). EEG will be recorded before rTMS sessions during session 1, 10, and 30.
Sub-Group 1-B= Sham and research intervention : Blind-randomized trial 10 sessions of sham-controlled rTMS will be apply to ten patients, after the 2 weeks group 1-B would be incorporated for 4 weeks to the same protocol that group 1-A (Activer TMS). EEG will be acquire before the first session and after session 10 to compare and evaluate the efficacy of rTMS in depression for these two groups during the first two weeks.
Group 2 = Clinical Treatment + research group: If voluntarily consenting, patients who obtain clinical treatment for depression with TMS at FIU Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) will have EEG recorded at the beginning of treatment, session 10, session 20, and at the end of the protocol, session 30 (duration: 19 min).
Motor Threshold (MT) Determination has two purposes: to determine the location of the hand area of the motor cortex and to determine stimulation level. Once the motor cortex is found, a line is drawn on the patient's individual cap to show the operator where to place the coil when performing the actual depression treatments. The MT determination is performed on the left hemisphere because the subsequent depression treatments are performed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). When performing rTMS depression treatment, the stimulation level is defined as 120 % of MT
Treatments Steps:
Initial session with Motor Threshold (MT) determination, followed by 5 treatment sessions per week during a period of normally 2-6 weeks.
EEG recordings will be performed using the Xltek EEG (Electroencephalograph) system, designed for quick and convenient hook-up, it will record the brain's spontaneous electrical activity and evoked responses non-invasively from the scalp. Approximately 10-20 minutes of resting-state EEG will be recorded before rTMS sessions during session 1, 10 and 30).
Study will be conducted at ACC 145-145-A clinical facility, During treatment sessions, the patient is comfortably seated in the treatment chair with a vacuum pillow around the neck to provide optimal support of the head.
The study is of minimal risk with occasional side effects of the test are minor and brief headache from prolonged TMS stimulation.
Response and Treatment Protocol in case of Seizure:
In case a patient suffers the occurrence of a seizure during an rTMS session, the following steps are undertaken:
•If a seizure occurs, testing (TMS) will be postponed at least 1 hour, or until baseline function returns.
The significance of this work is to create a new understanding of the therapeutic effect of rTMS in participants with depression, using EEG to assess the lasting effects of the treatment. This can lead us to the creation of a maintenance protocol to prolong the effects of rTMS in this population.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| patients with depression | – | Device: MagVitapatients with depression |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Any adult with symptoms of depression.
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Clinical diagnosis of Depression
- must be willing to cooperate.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemaker, medication pump, brain or vagus nerve stimulator, cochlear implant)
- history of seizures
- intracranial metal (e.g., aneurysm clip)
- inability of the participant to cooperate with the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) session
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| MagVitarTMS system | Device | patients with depression |
Primary outcome
EEG parameters to asses the change
Time frame: Session 1(baseline), Session 10 ( after 2 weeks of treatment), and 30 ( treatment completion)
Resting-state Electroencephalogram (EEG) can serve as an assessment signal that will determine the benefits of the treatment and the efficacy of this procedure. Frequency domain features will be extracted to analyze the change over the time of the treatment. Connectivity maps will be derived for the most important frequency bands( Delta, Theta, Alpha, and Beta).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Sep 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 33166668Chu HT, Cheng CM, Liang CS, Chang WH, Juan CH, Huang YZ, Jeng JS, Bai YM, Tsai SJ, Chen MH, Li CT. Efficacy and tolerability of theta-burst stimulation for major depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021 Mar 2;106:110168. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110168. Epub 2020 Nov 7.
- Results publication: PubMed 28541649McClintock SM, Reti IM, Carpenter LL, McDonald WM, Dubin M, Taylor SF, Cook IA, O'Reardon J, Husain MM, Wall C, Krystal AD, Sampson SM, Morales O, Nelson BG, Latoussakis V, George MS, Lisanby SH; National Network of Depression Centers rTMS Task Group; American Psychiatric Association Council on Research Task Force on Novel Biomarkers and Treatments. Consensus Recommendations for the Clinical Application of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the Treatment of Depression. J Clin Psychiatry. 2018 Jan/Feb;79(1):16cs10905. doi: 10.4088/JCP.16cs10905.
- Results publication: PubMed 28160748Noda Y, Zomorrodi R, Saeki T, Rajji TK, Blumberger DM, Daskalakis ZJ, Nakamura M. Resting-state EEG gamma power and theta-gamma coupling enhancement following high-frequency left dorsolateral prefrontal rTMS in patients with depression. Clin Neurophysiol. 2017 Mar;128(3):424-432. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2016.12.023. Epub 2017 Jan 9.
- Results publication: PubMed 27899052Kelly MS, Oliveira-Maia AJ, Bernstein M, Stern AP, Press DZ, Pascual-Leone A, Boes AD. Initial Response to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment for Depression Predicts Subsequent Response. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2017 Spring;29(2):179-182. doi: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.16100181. Epub 2016 Nov 30.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. De-identified EEG will be shared to other researches .
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Depression, run by Florida International University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
EEG parameters to asses the change (time frame: Session 1(baseline), Session 10 ( after 2 weeks of treatment), and 30 ( treatment completion)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05424224, which also lists 4 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Sep 2026.