iTBS for Adolescent Depression: An Open Label Study Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Treatment

Motor Threshold determination, done prior to starting treatments, determines the location and the intensity for the iTBS treatments. A magnetic field is applied with increasing intensity stimulating the motor region of the brain until there is thumb movement; this indicates the intensity of the treatments; the location for treatment is in the sensory area parallel to this location.

iTBS is a particular TMS protocol which delivers the magnetic field in triplet bursts (three stimulations very close together at a frequency of 50 Hz very quickly). The triplet bursts are repeated at a rate of 5 Hz for 2 seconds (30 pulses), followed by 8 seconds rest, repeated 20 times for a total of 600 pulses. Each treatments lasts approximately 3 minutes, and sessions are provided 20 times (Monday-Friday for 4 consecutive weeks).