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Researchers have described trajectories of response to antidepressants and psychotherapies for major depression but not response trajectories with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), an increasingly popular modality for treatment-resistant depression. These researchers developed trajectories based on 388 patients in a randomized rTMS study (age range, 18–65; mean age at depression onset, 21; men, 41%; unemployed, 63%).
Over 90% had failed at least one antidepressant trial; 19% had failed three. Exclusions involved various other psychiatric diagnoses, medical or neurological instability, and high-dose benzodiazepines (lorazepam equivalent, >2 mg/day); 32% used low-dose benzodiazepines. The study arms were two protocols for rT…