What the Research Says
Evidence you can trust — straight from clinical trials and peer-reviewed journals.
Proven in Clinical Trials. Backed by Decades of Data.
TMS isn’t experimental — it’s a therapy with years of rigorous testing behind it. Leading medical institutions, including the American Psychiatric Association, Johns Hopkins, and the FDA, recognize it as an effective, non-invasive treatment for certain mental health conditions.
Here’s what the science shows:
Depression
- Large, multi-site clinical trials found that many patients who didn’t improve with medication saw meaningful relief with TMS — often within a few weeks.
- Real-world treatment registries show more than half of patients respond to TMS, and over a third achieve full remission of symptoms.
- Benefits can last well beyond the treatment period, especially with follow-up care or occasional maintenance sessions.
OCD
- In FDA-cleared studies, Deep TMS significantly reduced obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors in patients who hadn’t improved with therapy or medication.
- The effects went beyond symptom reduction — many patients reported a greater ability to focus, work, and engage in daily life.
Safety and Tolerability
- TMS has a strong safety record. The most common side effects are mild scalp discomfort or headache, which typically fade after the first few sessions.
- It does not involve anesthesia, surgery, or memory loss — and it is not “shock therapy.”
- Serious side effects are rare when treatment is provided according to established safety guidelines.
Why This Matters for You
For many people, TMS is the missing link between ongoing symptoms and the relief they’ve been searching for. The data shows it works — and we see those results every day in our clinic.
Begin treatment supported by decades of clinical research and trusted by leading medical organizations.
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Together, these studies show that TMS consistently improves symptoms in people with depression who haven’t responded to medication, with many achieving full remission. The benefits can last up to a year with occasional maintenance sessions, and newer, faster treatment protocols are proven to work as well as traditional ones.
- Sham-controlled RCT (multisite, n=301): TMS produced significantly greater symptom improvement than sham in treatment-resistant MDD, establishing efficacy and good tolerability. PubMed ScienceDirect biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com
- Real-world outcomes (national registry): Clinician-rated response 58% and remission 37% after a standard acute TMS course in routine practice. PubMed
- Durability at 12 months: Benefits from an acute TMS course were clinically meaningful and durable over one year with usual maintenance care (continuation meds ± retreatment as needed). PubMed
- Protocols and efficiency: Theta-burst stimulation (iTBS, ~3-minute sessions) was non-inferior to standard 10 Hz rTMS in a large randomized trial (THREE-D). The Lancet+1 PubMed
- Meta-analytic view: Systematic reviews and network meta-analyses conclude that non-surgical brain stimulation modalities — including rTMS and iTBS — are effective treatment options for acute MDD. BMJ PubMed+1
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
This study shows that Deep TMS can meaningfully reduce obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors in people with OCD, even when standard medication and therapy haven’t helped.
- Multicenter randomized double-blind trial: Deep TMS targeting medial prefrontal/anterior cingulate circuits significantly improved OCD symptoms vs sham in patients who hadn’t responded to medication/therapy. PubMed Psychiatry Onlineajp.psychiatryonline.org
Additional Conditions (emerging or adjunctive use)
- Outside FDA-cleared indications (MDD, OCD), growing peer-reviewed work reports craving reduction and self-control gains in substance use disorders and other conditions; results are promising but adjunctive. (Ask us for condition-specific references relevant to your case.)
Safety Profile
These studies confirm that TMS is safe when performed according to established guidelines, with side effects typically limited to mild, short-lived scalp discomfort or headache, and an extremely low risk of seizure.
- Consensus guidelines: Expert recommendations detail safe, effective clinical application of rTMS for MDD, including screening and dosing standards. PMC PubMed Mayo Clinic
- Adverse events: Reviews characterize rTMS as well-tolerated; the most common effects are transient scalp discomfort or headache. Overall seizure risk with therapeutic TMS is low when delivered per guidelines. PMC Oxford Academic ScienceDirect
Key Studies (at a glance)
- O’Reardon et al., 2007 – Biological Psychiatry: Multisite, sham-controlled RCT demonstrating rTMS efficacy in treatment-resistant MDD. PubMed biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com
- Carpenter et al., 2012 – Depression & Anxiety: Real-world registry; response 58%, remission 37%. PubMedWiley Online Librarysydneytms.com.au
- Dunner et al., 2014 – Journal of Clinical Psychiatry: One-year durability of benefit after acute rTMS. PubMed
- Blumberger et al., 2018 – The Lancet: iTBS (~3 min) non-inferior to standard 10 Hz (~37 min) for MDD. The Lancet PubMed
- Mutz et al., 2019 – BMJ: Network meta-analysis supporting non-surgical brain stimulation in acute depression. BMJ
- Carmi et al., 2019 – American Journal of Psychiatry: Deep TMS significantly reduces OCD symptoms vs sham. PubMed ajp.psychiatryonline.org
The Science is Clear
For many people, TMS is the missing link between ongoing symptoms and meaningful relief. The science is clear: when performed by experienced clinicians, TMS is safe, effective, and can be life-changing.
