MentalHealthDaily

Closed-Loop Subgaleal ISP Reduced Epilepsy Seizure Incidence 80%

by GLOOM

Editorial card showing subgaleal electrode strips, closed-loop seizure detection, and focused neurostimulation for therapy-resistant epilepsy.

A 2026 first-in-human medRxiv preprint reported that closed-loop subgaleal intersectional short-pulse stimulation shortened stimulated seizures by 52% on average and reduced seizure incidence by 80.9% after 48 hours in 5 high-frequency therapy-resistant epilepsy patients. The signal is promising because it combines responsive seizure detection with electrode strips placed under the scalp rather than electrodes implanted …

Right OFC rTMS Improves Memory in Early Schizophrenia

by GLOOM

Editorial card showing a coronal brain section highlighting the right orbitofrontal cortex with a TMS coil, illustrating the first RCT of OFC stimulation in first-episode schizophrenia.

Cognitive impairment in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) is the symptom that does the most work blocking employment, relationships, and independent living — and the symptom current antipsychotics barely move. A 2026 RCT by Hu et al. in Psychological Medicine tested whether 20 sessions of low-frequency rTMS targeting the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) could improve cognition where …

Subcallosal Cingulate DBS for Treatment-Resistant Depression

by GLOOM

A 2026 systematic review of subcallosal cingulate (SCC) functional connectivity found 28 qualifying resting-state fMRI studies in depression: 21 rTMS/iTBS studies, 4 ECT studies, 3 focused-ultrasound studies, and 0 DBS or tDCS studies.1 That number is the useful correction: SCC DBS may still be biologically plausible, but the current fMRI connectivity literature mostly explains noninvasive …

Gamma Brain Stimulation Helps Schizophrenia More Than Depression

by GLOOM

Photoreal illustration of gamma-frequency brain stimulation showing TMS coil and oscillation waveforms in 30-50 Hz range over a brain.

A 2026 meta-analysis of 56 controlled trials found the clearest gamma-frequency neuromodulation signal in schizophrenia: overall symptoms improved vs. control (g = −0.46), global cognition improved (g = 0.55), and MDD showed a smaller depression effect than the schizophrenia symptom estimate (g = −0.34). Bipolar disorder and autism stayed directional but nonsignificant, and the paper’s …

VNS After Failed Epilepsy Surgery Reduced Seizures 76% at 36 Months

by GLOOM

Photoreal illustration showing an implanted vagus nerve stimulator and brain pathways, representing neuromodulation for drug-resistant epilepsy.

A 2026 CORE-VNS registry analysis found that implanted vagus nerve stimulation still produced large 36-month seizure reductions after failed intracranial epilepsy surgery: median all-seizure reduction was 76.3% with prior surgery vs. 76.6% without prior surgery.1 Research Highlights Prior surgery did not blunt the main VNS signal: CORE-VNS reported 76.3% median all-seizure reduction at 36 months …

fMRI Biotypes Predicted tDCS Anxiety Response in Older Adults

by GLOOM

Photoreal illustration of a clinician fitting a tDCS device on an older adult, with brain network biotype overlays.

A 2026 BETA analysis of 199 older adults found that resting-state fMRI could separate 4 anxiety-related tDCS response patterns, but the result was narrower than “brain scan predicts treatment”: only the Robust tDCS Responder subtype showed a statistically reliable Active vs. Sham anxiety advantage across all participants.1 Research Highlights Only 1 subtype cleared the Active …

Transcranial Temporal Interference Stimulation (tTIS) May Improve Parkinson’s Motor Symptoms

by GLOOM

Photoreal illustration of two interfering electric fields converging at deep brain regions, conveying non-invasive deep stimulation in Parkinson's.

Deep brain stimulation works for Parkinson’s, but it requires implanted electrodes. A 2026 randomized crossover trial by Stalter and colleagues tested whether transcranial temporal interference stimulation — a non-invasive technique designed to reach deep targets without exciting overlying cortex — can move the needle on motor symptoms when aimed at the putamen.1 Research Highlights Transcranial …