Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation might be a possible therapy for adolescent depression. Our preliminary findings warrant double-blind, controlled studies.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is relatively well tolerated by depressed adolescents, but it is also perceived as mostly unhelpful by them and their parents. This is at odds with emerging studies suggesting that rTMS can be an effective and safe treatment in this age group, indicating that further research is required to confirm our findings and understand reasons for any disparity.