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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Search for Novel Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Targets for Mental Illness

Transdiagnostic Circuit Mapping of Prefrontal Targets in Accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Search for Novel Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Targets for Mental Illness (NCT06376734) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Major Depressive Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, sponsored by Brigham and Women's Hospital. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

Participants will receive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) at a random location in the left prefrontal cortex, excluding sites that are potentially unsafe. Extensive behavioral testing will be conducted to determine which behaviors are modulated by stimulating which circuits.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Major Depressive Disorder and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 180 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Major Depressive Disorder subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Age 18-65 - English proficiency sufficient for willing to sign a consent form, questionnaires/tasks, and treatment - Primary diagnosis of one of the following: major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or schizophrenia (determined by focal assessment using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5) - ≥20 on the Beck Depression Inventory for patients with MDD - ≥16 on the Beck Anxiety Inventory for patients with GAD - ≥16 on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale for patients with OCD - ≥58 on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale for patients with schizophrenia - Stable psychotropic medication regimen, or remain medication free, for 4 weeks prior to treatment (Medication changes during study enrollment period will be tracked for post hoc analysis). - Primary clinician (e.g. psychiatrist, therapist, psychologist, APRN, PA, etc.) responsible for psychiatric care before, during, and after the trial Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - Active pregnancy as determined by a urine pregnancy test - Cluster B personality disorders (antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder) - PTSD with active, clinically significant symptoms, as determined by clinician - Diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Type - Recent (within 4 weeks) or concurrent use of rapid-acting antidepressant agent (ketamine/esketamine/ECT) - Ferromagnetic metallic implant that would contraindicate receiving TMS or obtaining MRI - Any other TMS or MRI safety concerns identified by the clinician - Receiving or planning to receive other TMS treatments during course of participation - History of: - Neurosurgical intervention for mental illness - Moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder - Intellectual disability - Severe cognitive impairment ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-65 * English proficiency sufficient for informed consent, questionnaires/tasks, and treatment * Primary diagnosis of one of the following: major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or schizophrenia (determined by focal assessment using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5) * ≥20 on the Beck Depression Inventory for patients with MDD * ≥16 on the Beck Anxiety Inventory for patients with GAD * ≥16 on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale for patients with OCD * ≥58 on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale for patients with schizophrenia * Stable psychotropic medication regimen, or remain medication free, for 4 weeks prior to treatment (Medication changes during study enrollment period will be tracked for post hoc analysis). * Primary clinician (e.g. psychiatrist, therapist, psychologist, APRN, PA, etc.) responsible for psychiatric care before, during, and after the trial Exclusion Criteria: * Active pregnancy as determined by a urine pregnancy test * Cluster B personality disorders (antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder) * PTSD with active, clinically significant symptoms, as determined by clinician * Diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Type * Recent (within 4 weeks) or concurrent use of rapid-acting antidepressant agent (ketamine/esketamine/ECT) * Ferromagnetic metallic implant that would contraindicate receiving TMS or obtaining MRI * Any other TMS or MRI safety concerns identified by the clinician * Receiving or planning to receive other TMS treatments during course of participation * History of: * Neurosurgical intervention for mental illness * Moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder * Intellectual disability * Severe cognitive impairment * Significant neurological illness (e.g., dementia, Parkinson's, Huntington's, brain tumor, seizure disorder, subdural hematoma, multiple sclerosis) * Untreated or insufficiently treated endocrine disorder * Eating disorders * Treatment with investigational drug or intervention during the study period * Current evidence of: * Mania or hypomania * Active suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt within the past year * Contraindications to either TMS or MRI (e.g., metallic implants, etc.). * Current moderate or severe substance use disorder or demonstrating signs of acute substance withdrawal * Significantly increased seizure risk as determined by a clinician * For participants with schizophrenia: * Evidence of impaired capacity to consent, e.g. impaired insight into illness, as deemed by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist on the study team * Hospitalization with psychosis in the past 6 months * Positive urine drug screen for illicit substances * Existing tinnitus (ringing in the ears) * Any other condition deemed by the PI to interfere with the study or increase risk to the participant

Treatments Being Tested

DEVICE

Transcranial magnetic stimulation

Accelerated TMS will be provided for 2 days using the same dosing regimen as the FDA-cleared SAINT protocol, ten 9-minute treatments per day.

Locations (2)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Acacia Clinics
Sunnyvale, California, United States
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06376734), the sponsor (Brigham and Women's Hospital), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT06376734 clinical trial studying?

Participants will receive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) at a random location in the left prefrontal cortex, excluding sites that are potentially unsafe. Extensive behavioral testing will be conducted to determine which behaviors are modulated by stimulating which circuits. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06376734?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT06376734?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT06376734. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06376734. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.