Relationship of Peripheral Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Biomarkers With Response to Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation in Treatment-Resistant Depression

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a major clinical challenge affecting a substantial proportion of patients with major depressive disorder who do not adequately respond to conventional antidepressant treatments. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, has emerged as an effective treatment option for these patients. However, the biological mechanisms underlying treatment response remain poorly understood.

This single-center, prospective, investigator-initiated clinical study aims to investigate the effects of iTBS on clinical symptoms, executive functions, and peripheral inflammatory and neuroprotective biomarkers in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Fifty patients with treatment-resistant depression and fifty healthy control participants will be enrolled. Patients will receive active iTBS treatment for four weeks (20 sessions), while healthy controls will undergo baseline clinical, cognitive, and biological assessments without receiving any intervention.

Clinical outcomes will be evaluated using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-17), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Executive functions will be assessed using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Trail Making Test A and B, and verbal fluency tests.

Peripheral blood samples will be collected before and after treatment to measure inflammatory, neuroplasticity, and neuroprotective biomarkers, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), apolipoprotein D (APOD), serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), and serum amyloid A2 (SAA2). Gene expression analyses will also be performed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

The study aims to identify biological mechanisms associated with iTBS treatment response and to explore potential biomarkers that may predict clinical improvement in patients with treatment-resistant depression. The findings may contribute to the development of personalized neuromodulation strategies and biomarker-guided treatment approaches for depression.