Neuroimaging Guided and Robot-assisted rTMS for Suicidal Ideation of Depression

Summary

There is relatively insufficient evidence on whether rTMS can improve suicidal ideation in depressive patients. And existing studies have been inconsistent in the treatment of depressive suicidal thoughts. The possible reason is inaccurate stimuli localization. Improving the accuracy of rTMS stimulus positioning may further improve the intervention effect of suicidal ideation. This study will introduce an automated TMS system with robot control and optical sensor combined with neuronavigation softwarea. By using the robot based on neuronavigation system, the rTMS coil can be accurately positioned over any preselected brain region. An infrared optical measurement device is also used in order to detect and compensate for head movements of the patient. The purpose of this randomized double-blind and sham-controlled study is to test the efficacy and safety of robot-assisted rTMS based on neuronavigation in the treatment of depressive suicidal ideation.

Timeline

Start

2020-09-28

Primary completion

2023-12-31

Completion

2023-12-31

Publications

• Zheng K, Chen L, Wang H; DIRECT consortium; Li B, Chen B. Beyond depression symptoms: the default mode network as a predictor of antidepressant response. Npj Ment Health Res. 2026 Jan 16;5(1):2. doi: 10.1038/s44184-025-00182-2.

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Indications