In this study, we are testing whether a higher dose of a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), can be safely used in people with depression. Participants will come to the Brain Stimulation Lab and receive mild electrical stimulation through electrodes placed on their scalp.

The study begins with a safety run-in, where the first few participants will receive stimulation at gradually increasing levels (2, 4, and 6 milliamps) while being closely monitored. If no serious side effects are found, later participants will receive repeated 6 milliamp sessions for 5 days total. We will check skin comfort, mood, and overall tolerability after each session.

As growing research suggests noninvasive brain stimulation techniques have the potential to adjunct current treatments or treat Seizure-Type Functional Neurologic Disorder (FND-seiz), also known as Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES), we aim to evaluate whether a form of accelerated intermittent theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (a-iTBS-rTMS), is a practical and well-tolerated treatment for people with this disorder. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or TMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate a part of the brain involved in mood and thinking, the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which has established benefits in disorders known to coincide in patients with FND-seiz, such as depression.

As an open-label, early feasibility study, enrolled participants will receive 6 to 10 treatment sessions each day over 3 to 5 days, with the goal of completing 30 total sessions. This approach was selected because similar protocols have already been shown to be safe and effective in other conditions, and the shortened treatment schedule in comparison to other protocols may make participation easier for people living with FND-seiz. The main goal of the study is to see how many participants can safely and comfortably complete at least 20 of the 30 TMS sessions.

The researchers will also evaluate changes in seizure frequency, quality of life, mood, post-traumatic stress symptoms, physical health, social functioning, and overall satisfaction with treatment. These outcomes will be measured before treatment and again four weeks afterward. The researchers also aim to explore whether people with overlapping conditions, such as depression or PTSD, respond differently to the treatment. Finally, given the overlap between epilepsy and FND-seiz, not all TMS providers are comfortable treating patients with FND-seiz when TMS is indicated for other conditions, thus the researchers aim to outline a protocol to ensure safety and increase TMS access for FND-seiz patients.

This study is designed as a prospective, multi-centered, double-blind, randomized, delayed-stimulation/ sham-stimulation controlled 12-month study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of bilateral stimulation of the subcallosal cingulate white matter (SCCwm) using the Infinity™ Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) system as an adjunctive treatment of non-psychotic unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) for adults who are experiencing a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) with inadequate response to 4 or more antidepressant treatments.

In this pilot study we will assemble a portable TMS(transcranial magnetic stimulation) unit, in a van, and then test out delivering TMS in Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)-affiliated facilities in South Carolina, all within 90 minutes of driving from Charleston, SC. This work will hopefully open up access to TMS for millions of patients with treatment-resistant depression who cannot be treated in the current model.
We will recruit up to 30 treatment-resistant depression patients who live near one of the MUSC-affiliated clinics. We will treat these patients, open-label, with FDA-approved accelerated TMS (6 sessions each day, over 2 hours, for 5 days, spread over one or two weeks). We will measure TMS effectiveness using standard depression rating scales.

In this pilot study we will assemble a portable TMS(transcranial magnetic stimulation) unit, in a van, and then test out delivering TMS in Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)-affiliated facilities in South Carolina, all within 90 minutes of driving from Charleston, SC. This work will hopefully open up access to TMS for millions of patients with treatment-resistant depression who cannot be treated in the current model.
We will recruit up to 30 treatment-resistant depression patients who live near one of the MUSC-affiliated clinics. We will treat these patients, open-label, with FDA-approved accelerated TMS (6 sessions each day, over 2 hours, for 5 days, spread over one or two weeks). We will measure TMS effectiveness using standard depression rating scales.

This is an NIH sponsored trial across the US where patients who have been or will be implanted with cervical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are then tested in a variety of ways to determine the activity of the VNS on different organs in their body. This will involve implantation for those who qualify, and then two trips to the University of Minnesota for more extensive testing. The device, implantation and travel are all at no cost.

Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a new noninvasive way to stimulate the brain in an awake and alert person. We do not yet have an easily observable way to know whether we are in the right brain location with the correct dose for that person. We wonder if we can produce a transient change in someone's visual field, called a scotoma, and whether we can use that to determine the minimum tFUS dose for that person.

The purpose of the research is to test out a combined treatment for depression where we stimulate a nerve in the ear while at the same time stimulating the brain with magnets. These treatments are called transcutaneous (through the skin) auricular (ear) vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) and transcranial (through the skull) magnetic stimulation (TMS). For patients who already have a cervical VNS device, we will not change their treatment and will use this in place of the taVNS. We think this combined method might treat depressive symptoms better than either alone. This study is in person at the Institute of Psychiatry in downtown Charleston on the MUSC campus. First, patients will have a screening session and then will have 6 treatment days total where they will receive either VNS treatment alone, TMS treatment alone, or both at the same time. The treatment they start with will be randomized, and they will have 2 treatment days of each combination.

The purpose of this research is to test out a new way of treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with low intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP). If the subject agree to participate in the research study, the participation will last approximately 10.5 hours over seven (7) days. The visits are as follows: 1- consent and MRI, 2- and 3- focused ultrasound will be delivered outside of the MRI environment, 4- MRI plus focused ultrasound, 5- assessments 1 week post focused ultrasound, and 6- one month follow-up assessments. Research studies are voluntary and include only people who agree to take part.

This is a research study to find out if a new form of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is as effective and safe as a current form. The new form of ECT is called Frontal (Ultrabrief Right Unilateral) ECT. If enrolled in this this study, participants will be randomly assigned (like flipping a coin) to receiving Frontal ECT or the current standard form of ECT called Temporal (Ultrabrief Right Unilateral) ECT.