Nolan Williams, Alan Schatzberg, and Stanford colleagues have published a small, double blind study showing that high dose, noninvasive, magnetic brain stimulation alleviated depression symptoms in 80% of participants.
Stanford accelerated intelligent neuromodulation therapy (SAINT) is an intensive, individualized form of transcranial magnetic stimulation. Effects were seen within days and lasted months. Side effects included fatigue and headaches.
29 people with treatment-resistant depression participated. Half received SAINT, and half received a placebo procedure. After five days, 78.6% of the participants in the treatment group had eased symptoms.
See CBS Sunday Morning video describing patient experiences with SAINT