Accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

It looks like researchers are attempting a study using an "accelerated" transcranial magnetic stimulation trial on depressed patients. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is usually administered in 20-30 minute sessions each weekday for at least 3 weeks. This new accelerated TMS trial consists of 15 stimulation sessions condensed over the course of 1.5 days, instead of 3 weeks. The researchers expect that this may lead to a much faster improvement in depression symptoms. If this new study has positive results, then it would mean that TMS as a treatment could become a lot easier to administer. Patients would only have to take a few days off of their schedule instead of having to go through a normal TMS trial that takes a much longer time. Presumably the consecutive TMS sessions would be done every couple of hours. Activating the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in this manner may lead to a more rapid antidepressant effect and potentially reduce hospitalization length for those with more severe depression.