Using maintenance rTMS to help people with treatment-resistant depression
Official title: Maintenance rTMS for depression (Maitr-De)
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11035849 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at whether a special brain treatment called maintenance rTMS can help people who have already seen some improvement in their depression after an initial rTMS session, and it will involve 75 participants trying different types of this treatment over six months to see how well it works.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $968,769 |
| NIH project number | 1R61MH138647-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11035849 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have previously responded to acute rTMS treatment for treatment-resistant depression.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not undergone acute rTMS treatment or those with non-treatment-resistant forms of depression may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effectiveness of maintenance repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for individuals who have previously responded to an acute rTMS treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The study will involve 75 participants who will be randomly assigned to receive either standard maintenance rTMS, clustered maintenance rTMS, or a sham treatment over a period of six months. Throughout the trial, researchers will monitor brain connectivity and changes in depressive symptoms using clinical assessments. The goal is to determine if maintenance rTMS can help sustain improvements in brain function and alleviate depressive symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new maintenance treatment option for individuals with treatment-resistant depression, potentially improving their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results for rTMS in treating depression, but this specific approach to maintenance treatment is still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Daskalakis, Zafiris J. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Daskalakis, Zafiris J.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.