Using personalized brain stimulation to improve treatment for depression
Official title: Resonant Frequency rTMS: A Novel Approach to Target Circuit Modulation in MDD
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-10994633 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to help people with depression by using a special type of brain stimulation that targets specific areas in the brain, aiming to find the best settings for each person to feel better faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | December 5, 2023 |
| Project end | October 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $642,796 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH135293-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10994633 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder who have not responded adequately to standard treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with depression who are not eligible for rTMS or those with other psychiatric conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a new method of using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) by targeting specific brain circuits. The approach personalizes treatment by identifying each patient's optimal resonant frequency for stimulation, which is believed to enhance the effectiveness of the therapy. By employing a novel TMS-electroencephalography method, researchers will determine the best frequencies for stimulating mood-regulating circuits in the brain. The goal is to improve connectivity in these circuits, leading to faster and more effective symptom relief for patients with depression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and personalized treatments for individuals suffering from Major Depressive Disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results with rTMS, but this personalized approach using resonant frequencies is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leuchter, Andrew F — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Leuchter, Andrew F
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how genetic changes in blood cells relate to heart disease in people with HIV
A study will look at how age-related blood cell mutations and large chromosomal changes might contribute to heart disease risk in people living with HIV.
-
Systems genetics of vascular smooth muscle phenotypes in heart disease
Aims to understand how genetic differences influence vascular smooth muscle cells to improve prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease.
-
Motivation for Alcohol Use in Humans and How It Can Be Measured
This grant explores how people are motivated to drink alcohol and tests a safe, controlled way to study that motivation to inform better treatments for alcohol use disorder.
-
Overcoming CAR T cell resistance with tumor-targeted IL-12 to boost anti-tumor immunity
Aims to make CAR T cell therapy work better for solid tumors by using tumor-focused IL-12 to boost the body’s attack on cancer.
-
PediCODE: A Biorepository and Consortium for CoDE - Congenital Diarrhea and Enteropathy
A nationwide effort to collect clinical data and patient-derived samples to uncover the genetic causes of congenital diarrhea and enteropathy and to build a resource that helps researchers study these diseases.
-
Mentor Moms+: a community-led plan to cut alcohol use and HIV risk during pregnancy in South Africa
A community-based program adapts a trusted peer-led model to help pregnant and lactating people reduce alcohol use and HIV risk in South Africa.
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.