One-Day cTBS Over the Precuneus
One-Day cTBS Over the Precuneus (OcTOPUS)
Mclean Hospital
69 participants
Sep 8, 2026
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether two forms of one-day accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can reduce depressive symptoms in adults with treatment-resistant depression. Treatment-resistant depression is depression that has not improved enough after at least two adequate antidepressant medication treatments. TMS is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Does continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) targeting the precuneus reduce depressive symptoms 4 weeks after treatment compared with sham stimulation? * Does intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex reduce depressive symptoms 4 weeks after treatment compared with sham stimulation? Researchers will compare precuneus cTBS, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex iTBS, and sham stimulation to determine whether either active treatment reduces depressive symptoms more than sham stimulation. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the three groups and will not be told which treatment they initially receive. Participants will: * Complete screening procedures and baseline assessments of depression, rumination, and cognitive function * Receive 20 sessions of active or sham TMS during one in-person study day * Complete follow-up assessments 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the intervention * Report any side effects or medical problems experienced during the study Participants initially assigned to sham stimulation may choose to receive active TMS after completing the 4-week follow-up period. Those who choose this option will receive either precuneus cTBS or left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex iTBS and will complete additional follow-up assessments.
Eligibility
Plain Language Summary
Simplified for easier understanding
This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.
Interested in this trial?
Get notified about updates and connect with the research team.
Interventions
Active continuous theta-burst stimulation is delivered to the Pz location of the international 10-20 EEG system to target the precuneus. Stimulation is administered with a double-cone coil at 80% of the participant's resting motor threshold. Each session consists of 600 pulses delivered over approximately 40 seconds. Participants receive 20 sessions during a single day, for a total of 12,000 pulses, with session onsets separated by approximately 30 minutes. If 80% of resting motor threshold is not tolerated, the intensity may be reduced to the highest tolerable level.
Active intermittent theta-burst stimulation is delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The stimulation target is identified using the Beam F3 method. Stimulation is administered with a figure-of-eight coil at 80% of the participant's resting motor threshold. Each session consists of 600 pulses delivered over approximately 3 minutes. Participants receive 20 sessions during a single day, for a total of 12,000 pulses, with session onsets separated by approximately 30 minutes. If 80% of resting motor threshold is not tolerated, the intensity may be reduced to the highest tolerable level.
Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation is administered at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex location identified using the Beam F3 method. A figure-of-eight coil is inverted so that the active surface faces away from the scalp. The stimulator is operated at 80% of the participant's resting motor threshold using the same intermittent theta-burst timing and approximate session duration as the active left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex intervention. Participants receive 20 sham sessions during a single day, with session onsets separated by approximately 30 minutes.
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
For the most up-to-date information, visit the official listing.
NCT07758010