Pharmacologic Augmentation of TMS for Depression With D-serine

NCT06876129 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE1 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 60

Last updated 2026-05-15

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this study is to test whether combining D-serine with 30 treatments of a) iTBS and b) 18-Hz protocols will enhance clinical outcomes compared to rTMS with placebo (i.e., sugar pill). The investigators hypothesize that NMDA receptor activation via D-serine combined with repeated sessions of rTMS will produce greater clinical outcomes than iTBS with placebo and 18-Hz with placebo.

Conditions

Interventions

OTHER

Placebo

The placebo is an inactive substance (e.g., lactose or cellulose) packaged to be identical in appearance, taste, and smell to the active study drug. Oral administration, will be advised to be taken 1-hour prior rTMS treatment day (Mon-Fri) for 6 weeks.

DEVICE

TMS

Subjects will either receive iTBS using a Magventure TMS device or 18-Hz H1 TMS using a dTMS Brainsway device plus placebo.

DRUG

D-serine

D-serine, 80 mg/kg, oral administration, will be advised to be taken 1-hour prior rTMS treatment day (Mon-Fri) for 6 weeks. Dosing is based on maximal plasticity at 80 mg/kg, and clinical dose-finding studies demonstrating that doses between 60 - 120 mg/kg were superior in clinical effectiveness to 30 mg/kg and were safe. Subjects will not be randomized into their TMS group and will either receive iTBS using a Magventure TMS device or 18-Hz H1 TMS using a dTMS Brainsway device. Subjects will have their TMS protocol/treatment determined at the time of consultation according to clinical appropriateness as is the standard of care at the TMS clinic at McLean Hospital.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Mclean Hospital

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Kerry Ressler, MD, PhD · Mclean Hospital

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
80 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-04-01
Primary Completion
2026-12-26
Completion
2027-04-01
FDA Drug
Yes
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06876129 on ClinicalTrials.gov