For individuals living with major depressive disorder, time is often a critical factor. Traditional treatments such as antidepressants or psychotherapy can take weeks to months to produce meaningful improvement, leaving many patients feeling discouraged and frustrated. Accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or accelerated TMS, offers a clinically supported approach by condensing multiple daily sessions into a shorter time frame, allowing patients to experience symptom relief more rapidly while maintaining safety and precision.
At NeoPsych in Los Angeles, Dr. Thomas Hughes integrates advanced TMS technology with individualized psychiatric care. His patient-centered approach combines neuroscience, psychiatry, and precision medicine to deliver personalized treatment plans that meet the unique needs of each patient. Accelerated TMS is particularly suited for individuals seeking faster outcomes without compromising clinical accuracy.
Understanding Accelerated TMS
Accelerated TMS builds upon the foundation of standard TMS therapy, which uses focused magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain associated with mood regulation, particularly the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The primary distinction lies in the treatment schedule.
While standard TMS typically requires one session per day over six weeks, accelerated protocols deliver multiple sessions per day across several consecutive days. NeoPsych offers several evidence-based accelerated protocols, including the ONE-D protocol, the M-SAINT protocol, and a 10-day protocol.
The ONE-D protocol delivers multiple brief sessions in a single day, spaced carefully to optimize stimulation and neural responsiveness. The M-SAINT protocol uses functional connectivity mapping to precisely target brain regions associated with depression, enabling multiple daily sessions over a condensed timeframe. The 10-day protocol spreads multiple sessions across ten consecutive days, providing an accelerated but manageable approach. Research from the Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy (SAINT) trial demonstrated that nearly 80 percent of participants with treatment-resistant depression achieved remission within five days, highlighting the potential efficacy of these accelerated approaches.
Dr. Hughes adapts the protocol for each patient, adjusting session frequency, intensity, and targeting based on prior treatment history, symptom severity, and individual tolerance. This ensures both safety and optimal clinical outcomes.
Why Patients Choose Accelerated TMS
Depression affects multiple facets of life, including sleep, appetite, energy, motivation, and interpersonal relationships. For patients whose symptoms interfere with work, caregiving, or daily responsibilities, the time commitment required for standard six-week TMS treatment can feel burdensome. Accelerated TMS offers a more concentrated treatment schedule, allowing patients to experience meaningful symptom reduction in days rather than weeks.
Patients at NeoPsych often report improvements in mood, focus, energy, and overall function within the first few days of treatment. Accelerated TMS is particularly valuable for individuals with severe or treatment-resistant depression, or for those seeking a rapid return to daily activities without the interruption of a traditional multi-week schedule.
The Accelerated TMS Process at NeoPsych
Every patient begins with a comprehensive evaluation conducted by Dr. Hughes. This includes a review of medical history, psychiatric symptoms, prior treatments, and baseline measures of depression severity. Where appropriate, functional MRI or functional connectivity MRI may be used to precisely identify the brain regions most involved in the patient’s depressive symptoms, supporting highly targeted stimulation.
During each session, patients are seated comfortably while a magnetic coil delivers focused pulses to the targeted brain area. Treatments are non-invasive, painless, and require no anesthesia or recovery time. For accelerated protocols, patients experience multiple sessions per day, with breaks between sessions designed to maximize comfort and neural responsiveness. NeoPsych provides a calm, supportive environment, allowing patients to relax or engage in light activities between sessions.
Dr. Hughes monitors each patient’s progress throughout the course, adjusting parameters as needed to ensure optimal outcomes. The combination of precision targeting, advanced protocols, and individualized care supports consistent, measurable improvement across accelerated treatment schedules.
Outcomes and Evidence
Accelerated TMS is supported by a growing body of clinical evidence demonstrating both safety and efficacy. The SAINT trial and subsequent studies have confirmed high rates of remission and sustained improvements in mood, cognitive function, and daily functioning for patients with treatment-resistant depression. Meta-analyses in 2023 also support the use of accelerated protocols, showing comparable efficacy to standard TMS but with significantly reduced treatment time.
At NeoPsych, outcomes are tracked systematically to evaluate patient response and the durability of improvement. Patients often report increased motivation, emotional balance, and mental clarity. While results vary by individual, accelerated TMS provides an important option for those who have not responded to medications, psychotherapy, or other interventions.
Who May Benefit from Accelerated TMS
Ideal candidates include adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder who have not achieved sufficient improvement from at least one antidepressant or standard treatment. Accelerated TMS may also benefit patients who prefer a non-pharmacologic, non-invasive option, or those who cannot commit to the traditional six-week TMS schedule.
Dr. Hughes evaluates each patient individually, taking into account medical history, seizure risk, comorbid psychiatric conditions, and prior treatment responses. This ensures that accelerated TMS is both safe and clinically appropriate.
Restoring Hope Through Innovation
Depression can make it difficult for patients to see beyond daily emotional challenges. Accelerated TMS offers a science-backed, efficient approach to symptom relief, providing hope for meaningful improvement in a condensed timeframe. At NeoPsych, Dr. Thomas Hughes is committed to delivering advanced, individualized psychiatric care that integrates technology, clinical expertise, and compassion.
Patients seeking faster relief from depression are encouraged to schedule a private consultation to determine which accelerated TMS protocol, ONE-D, M-SAINT, or 10-day, may be most suitable. A personalized, evidence-based plan allows patients to regain function, clarity, and a renewed sense of control over their mental health.