Older Age Associated with Better Antidepressant Response to Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Background: TMS is increasingly used to treat major depression, but factors that predict better treatment outcomes remain unclear. We assessed the association between age and response given inconsistent reports in literature, as prior studies were limited by small sample size, heterogeneity, outdated parameters, lack of assessment deep TMS, an a priori hypothesis. hypothesized older would be associated with based on trends recent large exploratory analyses. Methods: conducted naturalistic retrospective analysis patients (n=378) ages 18-80 depression (baseline Quick Inventory Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (QIDS-SR) > 5) who received full course 2014 2021. Response was using percent reduction QIDS-SR. The relationship or remission group chi-square test. Results: 85% standard protocol left DLPFC. Antidepressant effectiveness greater patients. rates for entire study increased (response: χ2=9.29, p=.026; remission: χ2=14.54, p=.0023). This trend stronger female χ2=13.72, p=.0033; χ2=16.32, p=.00098) not found male χ2=1.30, p=.73; χ2=4.03, p=.26). Conclusions: Older antidepressant particularly demonstrated hypothesis-driven confirmation findings size homogeneous data collection across all participants. Conflicts Interest: SHS scientific consultant Magnus Medical clinical Acacia Mental Health, Kaizen Brain Center, Boston Precision Neurotherapeutics. has jointly investigator-initiated research funding from Neuronetics. also BrainsWay. served speaker BrainsWay (branded) PsychU.org (unbranded, sponsored Otsuka). owns stock (publicly traded) (not publicly traded). intellectual property involving use functional connectivity target TMS. Funding: None Disclosures: