Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is now well-established as a treatment for major depressive disorder, especially after an inadequate response to treatment with an antidepressant medication. One of its advantages is that its side effects are minimal compared to those of antidepressant medications. But a major disadvantage is the number of visits required and the duration of treatment. The so-called standard rTMS protocol typically involves one session per day, five days a week, for six weeks, for a total of 30 sessions.
What is accelerated rTMS?
Accelerated rTMS is a relatively recent and evolving approach to delivering repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) that aims to reduce the duration of treatment compared to the standard rTMS protocol by delivering more than one TMS session per day.
We should know at least a bit about accelerated TMS because it is receiving a lot of attention, rightfully so, and is likely to advance the use of TMS by providing the same results in a shorter period of time.
But is accelerated rTMS really able to deliver the same benefits as standard rTMS in a shorter period of time?
Register