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Optimizing Brain Excitability in Depression

Stanford University · with National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) · NCT07242105

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 18–65 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
145
US sites recruiting
2
Study start
October 23, 2025
Record last updated
February 10, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

The goal of this study is to improve depression treatment by establishing reliable prefrontal excitability markers through Targeting with Automated Real-time Guidance for Enhancing TEPs (TARGET).

Being studied: Active Single-Pulse TMS; Sham Single-Pulse TMS; TARGET-optimized TMS; Non-optimized (Open-Loop) TMS; EEG Recording; Intracranial EEG (iEEG) Recording

Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Men and women, ages 18 to 65
  • Diagnosis of major depressive disorder, assessed through a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5)
  • In a current depressive episode, assessed through a Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (SCID-5)
  • Moderate-to-severe depression as indicated by a score between 11-20 on the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS)
  • Must comprehend English well to ensure adequate comprehension of the EEG and TMS instructions, and of clinical scales
  • No current or history of neurological disorders
  • No seizure disorder or risk of seizures
  • Neurosurgical patients: Men and women ages 18-65 with medication-refractory epilepsy who are admitted for phase II intracranial monitoring to detect a seizure focus will be considered appropriate for this study. Participants must have the intellectual capacity to understand the consent process and agree to the study.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Those with a contraindication for MRIs (e.g. implanted metal)
  • History of head trauma with loss of consciousness
  • History of seizures or on medications that reduce seizure threshold (e.g., olanzapine, chlorpromazine, lithium)
  • Neurological or uncontrolled medical disease
  • Any unstable medical condition
  • Active substance abuse
  • Diagnosis of psychotic or bipolar disorder
  • A prior history of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) failure
  • History of suicide attempt in the past year
  • Currently pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) treatment in the past six months

Recruiting US locations

  • University of Iowa

    Iowa City, CA 52246

    Site contact: Jade T Truong, BS · 408-840-3313 · kellerlab@stanford.edu

  • Stanford University

    Stanford, CA 94305

    Site contact: Jade T Truong, BS · 408-840-3313 · kellerlab@stanford.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Jade T Truong, BS · 408-840-3313 · kellerlab@stanford.edu
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Optimizing Brain Excitability in Depression (NCT07242105) | Bored Studies