Brain stimulation therapies involve activating the brain with electricity, magnets, or implants to treat depression and other disorders.  Newer and more experimental stimulation therapies include repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS).

Brain stimulation therapies hold promise for treating depression that does not respond to more conventional treatments such as drug therapy.  They are the subject of many studies.  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, rTMS studies are ongoing and include a trial in which the procedure is being tested for safety and effectiveness for the treatment of major depression in 240 participants. Other researchers are studying how the brain responds to VNS by using imaging scans. And although DBS as a depression treatment is still very new, researchers are beginning to conduct studies with people to determine its effectiveness and safety in treating depression other mental disorders.