Accelerated rTMS for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Does accelerated TMS help treatment-resistant depression?

Yes, accelerated TMS protocols provide faster therapeutic benefits for treatment-resistant depression when antidepressants fail. Multiple sessions per day offer rapid relief. Key advantages:

• Faster results - multiple sessions per day vs traditional daily sessions
• Treatment-resistant cases - effective when antidepressants have failed
• 30-40% of patients - addresses significant clinical challenge
• Non-invasive approach - magnetic stimulation without medication

A study published in Annals of General Psychiatry examined accelerated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for depressive disorder resistant to antidepressant medication. Treatment-resistant depression affects approximately 30-40% of patients, and accelerated rTMS protocols deliver multiple sessions per day over a shorter time period, potentially providing faster therapeutic benefits for patients who haven’t responded to conventional treatments.

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Electroconvulsive Therapy: Mechanisms, Clinical Considerations, Future Directions

How Does Electroconvulsive Therapy Work and What’s Its Future?

Electroconvulsive therapy works through multiple neurobiological mechanisms including enhanced neuroplasticity, neurotransmitter normalization, anti-inflammatory effects, and promotion of neurogenesis, with modern protocols achieving 40% or greater symptom reduction and response rates exceeding 80% in treatment-resistant depression. A comprehensive review published in Harvard Review of Psychiatry examines ECT mechanisms, clinical applications, and future directions, showing that controlled seizure activity leads to widespread brain changes that rapidly reverse severe depressive symptoms.

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