New Stanford SAINT protocol showing 90% remission rates — what it means for patients

I wanted to discuss some exciting research that's been getting a lot of attention. The Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy (SAINT) protocol has shown remarkable results in clinical trials. Key points: - The SAINT protocol delivers the equivalent of a standard 6-week TMS course in just 5 days - It uses functional MRI to precisely target each patient's specific brain circuit - The landmark trial showed approximately 79% remission rates (vs ~50% with standard TMS) - Follow-up studies at academic centers are replicating these results What makes this different from standard TMS: 1. Precision targeting using fMRI (not the standard "5cm rule") 2. Accelerated delivery — 10 sessions per day for 5 days 3. Higher total dose of stimulation 4. Intermittent theta burst protocol instead of standard 10Hz Important caveats: This is still relatively new and most insurance doesn't cover the accelerated protocol yet. The fMRI targeting adds cost. And more long-term data is needed. But this represents a real step forward in the field. Happy to discuss or answer questions.