Establishing Target Engagement for Non-Invasive Deep Brain Stimulation in Depression

Depression and anxiety are among the most common and disabling conditions worldwide, yet many people do not respond to available treatments. Brain regions deep inside the skull — including areas involved in emotion and mood — play a central role in these disorders, but reaching them without surgery has historically been impossible.

This project tests a new, non-invasive brain stimulation technique called temporal interference stimulation (TIS), which uses intersecting electrical currents to create a focused effect deep in the brain, without affecting the brain surface in between. We will first confirm, in a laboratory setting using a cadaveric model, that TIS can precisely reach the brain areas linked to emotion. We will then apply the technique in healthy volunteers while scanning their brains with MRI, to test whether it changes activity in these target regions during an emotion-related task. Finally, we will ask participants about their experience of the procedure to ensure it is acceptable and to inform how future patient trials should be designed.