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Abstract

Despite a wide array of therapeutic modalities, many patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) experience no significant improvement in symptoms with traditional treatment. Given the prevalence of Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD), other alternative therapeutic modalities for MDD are being researched. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is one modality that continues to show successful therapeutic outcomes for those with TRD. The aim of this study is to highlight a case of rTMS being used on a patient with TRD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use.

Methods:

Our patient is a 53-year-old female who first presented to the clinic in 2020 for treatment of depression and suicidal ideation (SI). The machine utilized for rTMS treatment was the Magventure Figure 8 Coil Cool-B70. The patient completed an acute series of 30 individual rTMS treatments, before beginning off-label once a week maintenance treatment and has benefited from this.

Results:

In terms of MDD and SI, the patient reports fewer depressive symptoms and SI. The patient states that approximately 7 months after beginning her off-label maintenance rTMS treatment she gained the ability to think in gray.

Conclusion:

This study highlights the potential of rTMS as a treatment option for those with TRD. The patient reported that rTMS helped her, showing improvement in depressive symptoms during rounds of treatment. However, symptoms worsening after completing the first round could suggest that ongoing treatment may be needed to maintain therapeutic benefits for some patients.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.70657/AHSM.V6.2025.03

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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