Accelerated TMS: What the Research Says About Faster Depression Treatment
Intro: Why Accelerated TMS is Gaining Attention
Traditional Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has helped many people with depression who did not respond to medications. Standard TMS protocols involve about 5 sessions per week for 6 weeks or more, which means patients commit to 30–40 sessions.
But in recent years, researchers have been exploring accelerated TMS protocols — approaches that deliver more than one session per day, allowing patients to complete a full course of treatment in just a few days to a couple of weeks.
What Is Accelerated TMS?
Accelerated TMS is an intensified treatment schedule:
Instead of one daily session, patients may receive multiple sessions per day.
Treatment courses can be completed in 5–10 days instead of 6+ weeks. One recent observational study condensed treatment to one day in combination with a neuroplastigenic medication.
What Does the Evidence Show?
Research is promising:
Studies examining accelerated TMS protocols have been conducted since 2007, providing a significant evidence base.
Stanford studies have shown that accelerated TMS combined with functional MRI targeting can produce rapid reductions in depressive symptoms in some patients, including those with severe or treatment-resistant depression.
A 2025 study using intermittent theta burst (iTBS) TMS, requiring about three minutes per treatment, showed that five treatments a day for six days followed by another eight treatments over the next four weeks was similarly effective to a conventional schedule. The accelerated TMS protocol showed a response rate of 87.8% and a remission rate of 78% compared to 87.5% for both response and remission in the conventional group
Some trials report higher remission rates compared to standard TMS.
Accelerated TMS is being actively studied in clinical trials across the U.S. and internationally.
Important Limitations
While the data is exciting, it’s important to be clear:
Accelerated TMS is not FDA-approved.
Insurance does not cover accelerated protocols. Currently, only standard TMS is FDA-approved and reimbursed by payers such as Anthem/BCBS and Cigna.
Studies have been relatively small so far. More large-scale, multi-center trials are needed before accelerated TMS becomes a widely available standard of care.
Who Might Consider Accelerated TMS?
Some patients seek accelerated TMS because:
They cannot commit to 6 weeks of daily visits.
They are looking for a potentially faster response.
They are willing to pursue out-of-pocket treatments based on emerging evidence.
At Redbud Behavioral Health, we follow the research closely to stay up to date with promising innovations like accelerated TMS to offer our patient’s additional options suited to their specific situations.
The Current Standard of Care
Right now, standard TMS remains the only FDA-approved, insurance-covered protocol. It is:
Well studied over more than a decade
Safe, non-drug, and non-invasive
Covered by Anthem/BCBS and Cigna at Redbud
Patients interested in accelerated TMS should understand both the potential benefits and the limitations of current research.
Closing: Hope + Next Steps
Accelerated TMS is an exciting area of research that may one day become part of routine depression care.
If you’ve been struggling with depression that hasn’t responded to medications, Redbud Behavioral Health offers FDA-approved TMS, Spravato®, advanced medications, and metabolic psychiatry — all in a supportive, personalized setting.
👉 [Book Your Free Consultation Today] to learn about your options.
