Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation News and Research

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Single-dose psilocybin shows promise for treatment-resistant depression in NHS trial

A single 25-mg dose of psilocybin with psychological support was feasible to deliver within an NHS setting and produced large preliminary reductions in depressive symptoms among adults with treatment-resistant depression. The Phase 2 feasibility trial also found the treatment was generally well tolerated, although functional unblinding and expectancy effects mean larger, longer efficacy studies are needed.

10 Aug 2026

Silencing prefrontal cortex helps mice adopt better strategies

The prefrontal cortex, a brain region long associated with learning more flexible behaviors, can sometimes block the ability to think outside the box, a new study in mice shows.

7 Aug 2026

ECT-like brain stimulation triggers unexpected nuclear reprogramming in mature neurons

Nearly 90 years after Ugo Cerletti and Lucio Bini introduced electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), brain stimulation therapies such as ECT and Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) are common in psychiatry because they are highly effective for treating depression and schizophrenia, yet their cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood

17 Jul 2026

Researchers identify brain circuits responsible for triggering OCD symptoms

Most of the time, the origin of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is unknown, but in some rare cases, it starts after a brain injury, such as a stroke or a tumor.

7 Jul 2026

Functional brain imaging can help guide accelerated TMS for depression

Mass General Brigham study suggests that functional brain imaging can help guide accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression.

24 Jun 2026

New study identifies brain circuit behind TMS’s antidepressant effects

A circuit that runs from the prefrontal cortex near the front of the brain to a deeper brain structure called the insular cortex appears to mediate the antidepressant effects of a newer form of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

9 Jun 2026

Improved non-invasive brain stimulation targets deep-seated neurological disorders

Brain stimulation techniques can correct abnormal activity in the neural circuits involved in conditions such as Parkinson's disease and depression. However, current transcranial stimulation methods delivered through the scalp reach only the brain's surface, limiting their effectiveness.

8 Jun 2026

Scientists merge massive databases to map early warning signs of depression

The Wellcome Trust is funding the FUTURE-D research consortium with nearly €6 million. The consortium is coordinated by Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt.

4 Jun 2026

Anxiety and depression linked to mirror opposite sides of the brain's emotional center

A longitudinal study tracking children over a period of seven years identified distinct brain-wave patterns emerging from age 9 can forecast a child's vulnerability to anxiety or depression by age 13.

20 May 2026

Researchers discover a brain signal that predicts child attention lapses

Inside a world-leading deep brain stimulation program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), researchers have discovered a brain signal that predicts when a child is about to lose attention - and that a brief, targeted intervention in response to that signal can restore their focus.

13 May 2026

A brain-based approach may improve smoking cessation treatment success

For many people who smoke, quitting is not just a matter of willpower. It is a tug-of-war in the brain – between the pull of reward and the ability to resist.

8 May 2026

Study reveals how magnetic stimulation repairs depression-related brain circuits

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, FDA-approved therapy that uses brief magnetic pulses to treat depression, particularly in patients who do not respond to medication.

7 May 2026

Mapping brain circuits helps identify the causes of psychiatric symptoms

If a small stroke in one corner of the brain can tip a previously healthy person into mania or set off obsessions and compulsions where none existed before, then the circuit connected to that lesion is telling us something rare in psychiatry.

5 May 2026

New brain stimulation technique improves social communication in children with autism

A new non-invasive brain stimulation technique known as accelerated continuous theta burst stimulation (a-cTBS) improves social communication at one month follow up and has a favorable safety profile in children with autism, finds a trial from China published by The BMJ today.

29 Apr 2026

Study reveals brain mechanisms behind post-stroke urinary incontinence

A new USC-led study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) reveals the neural mechanisms that contribute to urinary incontinence, a common condition affecting stroke survivors that has a significant impact on their quality of life.

13 Apr 2026

Navigated TMS significantly boosts combat PTSD recovery rates

An advanced version of a procedure using magnetic fields to stimulate brain nerve cells in treating depression was significantly effective for 85% of active military and veterans suffering from combat post-traumatic stress disorder enrolled in a recent study, when added to psychotherapy.

7 Apr 2026

Trial tests fast-acting brain stimulation for postpartum depression treatment

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai today announced the enrollment of its first patient in a U.S. Department of Defense-funded pivotal clinical trial to evaluate whether a fast-acting, drug-free brain stimulation therapy can safely and quickly relieve symptoms of postpartum depression.

1 Apr 2026

Five sessions a day TMS approach may reduce depression symptoms in one week

For the many patients with depression who haven't found relief through medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) - a noninvasive therapy that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain - has become an increasingly important treatment option.

23 Feb 2026

Certain brain regions found to be more active in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder

A new study revealed that certain brain regions are more active in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) during cognitively demanding tasks.

22 Feb 2026

Brain network discovery opens new path for Parkinson’s treatment

Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder affecting more than 1 million people in the U.S. and more than 10 million globally, is characterized by debilitating symptoms such as tremors, movement difficulties, sleep disturbances and cognitive impairments.

4 Feb 2026