What did this study find?
This randomized trial compared active transcranial pulsed electromagnetic field treatment against a sham device in patients with treatment-resistant major depression. Active treatment produced statistically and clinically better outcomes, with an effect size near 0.62 on the Hamilton scale. That places it in the moderate range, comparable with several established adjunctive treatments.
What are the details of this record?
- Full citation
- Martiny K, Lunde M, Bech P. Transcranial low voltage pulsed electromagnetic fields in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Biological Psychiatry. 2010;68(2):163-169.
- Journal
- Biological Psychiatry
- Authors
- Martiny K, Lunde M, Bech P
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Sample size and population
- Patients with treatment-resistant major depression
- Evidence grade
- Grade B+ on the BioReg grading scale
- Reported findings
- Active T-PEMF produced statistically and clinically better outcomes than sham; effect size ~0.62 on Hamilton scale.
- DOI
- No DOI recorded
- PubMed
- PMID 20385376
- Related categories
- Depression (category grade B+)
A positive PEMF study is not evidence for a specific device unless the signal parameters studied, frequency, intensity, waveform, and exposure duration, are reasonably comparable to what that device produces. Where this record does not list those parameters, the source report did not publish them. See the grading methodology. Library last reviewed 2026-08-27.