Can transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) be adapted to better address anxiety symptoms in patients with depression?

In this episode of the neurocare Academy Podcast, Dr. Trevor Brown sits down with Dr. Shan H. Siddiqi, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, to discuss a groundbreaking randomized clinical trial investigating whether different TMS targets can influence anxiety and depression symptoms differently.

The conversation explores the growing field of precision psychiatry, where treatment selection is increasingly informed by brain circuits and symptom profiles rather than diagnosis alone. Dr. Siddiqi explains how his team's research identified a dorsomedial prefrontal cortex target that may improve anxiety symptoms more effectively in patients experiencing both depression and anxiety, while maintaining comparable antidepressant effects.

Beyond the study results, the discussion examines how these protocols can be implemented in everyday clinical practice, the role of neuronavigation and imaging-guided targeting, and why accumulating evidence from multiple studies is helping shape the future of personalized brain stimulation.

In this episode:

• Why anxiety and depression may involve distinct brain circuits.
• Findings from a randomized head-to-head TMS trial.
• The potential clinical relevance of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex target.
• Practical considerations for implementing new TMS targets in routine care.
• The future of biomarkers, patient stratification, and personalized neuromodulation.

Related publication:
Read the study in Molecular Psychiatry

The neurocare Academy Podcast features conversations with leading researchers, clinicians, and innovators exploring the latest developments in neuroscience, neuromodulation, and evidence-based mental health care.