TMS Response Rates in Depression
More on this topicExpert Reels6
Two-thirds of people with depression will respond to TMS.
A 9:16 cut covering the reported response rate to TMS in depression and how response is defined on the PHQ-9 and MADRS.
What the reel says
- 60% to 70% of patients with depression respond to TMS.
- Response means at least a 50% reduction in symptom severity, for example a PHQ-9 or MADRS score falling from 28 to 14 or lower.
- About half of responders reach full remission.
Distribution
Cut for
- TikTok
Source
Cut from the 15-minute expert explainer on TMS for depression.
Suggested caption
What does it actually mean when we say TMS "works"? Two-thirds of patients with depression respond, meaning at least a 50% reduction in symptom severity. About half of those reach full remission. Andrew van der Vaart on the numbers behind the referral conversation.
Reel transcript 2 segments
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Two-thirds of people, at least 60 to 70%, with depression will respond to TMS. If you look at assessments of depression symptom severity, whether that's a self-report, something like the PHQ-9 or clinician-rated, something like the MADRS, there is a reduction in symptom severity by at least half. So the score might go from a 28 to a 14 or less. And about half of those reach full-on remission, meaning no major depression symptoms
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after a TMS course. The clinician-rated numbers are actually higher than those, but I want to go with the self-report here because I think how the patient feels is probably more important to the patient than how the clinician says they feel. But those numbers too, I will say, are borne out just in the sampling of my own clinic.