The Use of MRI and TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Advances in Pediatric Applications

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a substantial burden for psychiatric care, affecting approximately one-third of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Adolescent populations with depression are a particularly challenging demographic to treat as early intervention is crucial to preven...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Trinh Ha, Katarina Jakimier, Sean O’Sullivan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Brain Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/194
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850081368903516160
author Trinh Ha
Katarina Jakimier
Sean O’Sullivan
author_facet Trinh Ha
Katarina Jakimier
Sean O’Sullivan
author_sort Trinh Ha
collection DOAJ
description Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a substantial burden for psychiatric care, affecting approximately one-third of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Adolescent populations with depression are a particularly challenging demographic to treat as early intervention is crucial to prevent treatment resistance, but treatment options are limited. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive option for TRD in adults as well as adolescents, offering hope for patients who have not responded to conventional therapies. This review examines the convergence of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as a tool to examine how TMS modulates functional connectivity in adolescents with MDD. Such analyses have led to advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of MDD, TRD, and the mechanisms of TMS. We review this evidence, evaluate methodological approaches, and identify critical gaps in the existing literature, highlighting how neuroimaging-guided TMS protocols offer a promising therapeutic avenue for adolescent TRD, particularly in cases where conventional treatments have proven ineffective.
format Article
id doaj-art-80f1522e289a4b68be2c3676fd5f3d6c
institution DOAJ
issn 2076-3425
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Brain Sciences
spelling doaj-art-80f1522e289a4b68be2c3676fd5f3d6c2025-08-20T02:44:45ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252025-02-0115219410.3390/brainsci15020194The Use of MRI and TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Advances in Pediatric ApplicationsTrinh Ha0Katarina Jakimier1Sean O’Sullivan2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell School of Medicine, Austin, TX 78712, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell School of Medicine, Austin, TX 78712, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell School of Medicine, Austin, TX 78712, USATreatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a substantial burden for psychiatric care, affecting approximately one-third of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Adolescent populations with depression are a particularly challenging demographic to treat as early intervention is crucial to prevent treatment resistance, but treatment options are limited. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive option for TRD in adults as well as adolescents, offering hope for patients who have not responded to conventional therapies. This review examines the convergence of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as a tool to examine how TMS modulates functional connectivity in adolescents with MDD. Such analyses have led to advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of MDD, TRD, and the mechanisms of TMS. We review this evidence, evaluate methodological approaches, and identify critical gaps in the existing literature, highlighting how neuroimaging-guided TMS protocols offer a promising therapeutic avenue for adolescent TRD, particularly in cases where conventional treatments have proven ineffective.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/194pediatricsdepressiontreatment-resistantfunctional magnetic reasoningmajor depressive disordertranscranial magnetic stimulation
spellingShingle Trinh Ha
Katarina Jakimier
Sean O’Sullivan
The Use of MRI and TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Advances in Pediatric Applications
Brain Sciences
pediatrics
depression
treatment-resistant
functional magnetic reasoning
major depressive disorder
transcranial magnetic stimulation
title The Use of MRI and TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Advances in Pediatric Applications
title_full The Use of MRI and TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Advances in Pediatric Applications
title_fullStr The Use of MRI and TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Advances in Pediatric Applications
title_full_unstemmed The Use of MRI and TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Advances in Pediatric Applications
title_short The Use of MRI and TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Advances in Pediatric Applications
title_sort use of mri and tms in treatment resistant depression advances in pediatric applications
topic pediatrics
depression
treatment-resistant
functional magnetic reasoning
major depressive disorder
transcranial magnetic stimulation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/194
work_keys_str_mv AT trinhha theuseofmriandtmsintreatmentresistantdepressionadvancesinpediatricapplications
AT katarinajakimier theuseofmriandtmsintreatmentresistantdepressionadvancesinpediatricapplications
AT seanosullivan theuseofmriandtmsintreatmentresistantdepressionadvancesinpediatricapplications
AT trinhha useofmriandtmsintreatmentresistantdepressionadvancesinpediatricapplications
AT katarinajakimier useofmriandtmsintreatmentresistantdepressionadvancesinpediatricapplications
AT seanosullivan useofmriandtmsintreatmentresistantdepressionadvancesinpediatricapplications