Factors That Affect the Length of TMS Treatment

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a therapy option for treatment-resistant depression that has lately garnered considerable interest. Patients who have exhausted all available antidepressant drugs and are dissatisfied with their outcomes may opt for TMS. Numerous studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of TMS on patients with treatment-resistant depression. One fact patients often want to know is the duration of the treatment and the contributing factors. Read on to learn more about TMS and how long treatment usually lasts.

Do the length and frequency of TMS treatments matter?

TMS is used to treat depression and requires visits to a treatment office. Other depression therapies usually do not need physical attendance, or if they do, the visits are more spread apart.

TMS is unique in that it is typically administered in five sessions each week for six to seven weeks, with each session lasting between 20 to 40 minutes.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used in regulatory studies to treat the medication-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) on a once-daily schedule of five sessions per week for the first four to six weeks and subsequently reduced during the last few weeks. For over a decade, this schedule has been used in the majority of TMS clinical settings.

Since events beyond one's control (e.g., holidays, vacation plans, illnesses, or injuries) periodically inhibit patients from adhering to the normal timetable, patients may be concerned that missing sessions will negatively impact their development. Scientists have determined that the patients' long-term depression results are unaffected by non-compliance to the usual five-sessions-per-week regimen.

A 2020 study sought to determine whether or not TMS scheduling disruptions had any detrimental consequences. Between 2010 and 2019, the researchers evaluated data from 316 naturally treated MDD patients who had TMS therapy. The researchers discovered that pauses to the TMS treatments, including intervals of up to 14 days, had no discernible effect on the eventual result of depression.

A 2012 randomized clinical research study found that a three-sessions-per-week TMS schedule was not inferior to the normal five-sessions-per-week regimen in terms of final treatment results. However, the group allocated to daily sessions achieved symptom reduction faster.

What is the optimal length for a TMS treatment?

At this time, there is not enough research available to identify the appropriate TMS treatment regimen. Patients who skip an occasional session or have more sessions seem unlikely to experience any detrimental consequences.

The optimal TMS treatment schedule is entirely up to the patient and their individual situation. They will most likely see quicker results with frequent TMS visits. Also, if they undergo the TMS course over a longer period, they may achieve the same level of success.