Biomarkers of Theta Burst Stimulation in Major Depressive Disorder

Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a newer form of rTMS which requires less stimulation time and produces longer lasting post-stimulation effects in the cerebral cortex (4). It has been shown to be effective in inducing synaptic plasticity and has similar or better efficacy in treating depression compared to rTMS (4).Newer accelerated TBS (aTBS) protocols that condense stimulation sessions down to several days rather than weeks have shown similar response rates when compared to prolonged TBS protocols, also with similar tolerability and safety. In order to develop aTBS as an effective treatment for MDD, future research should focus on identification of reliable predictors for better outcome to TBS. The main objectives were: 1) To directly compare multiple different brain-based measures (neuroimaging and electrophysiology) to identify which has the most power in accurately predicting response to TBS compared to sham. 2) To track both short and long-term longitudinal electrophysiological (EEG) changes related to the therapeutic effects of TBS.