Opening Soon
Opening Soon
Accelerated TMS gives patients access to a full TMS treatment course on a condensed schedule. Instead of coming in for one treatment session per day, patients complete multiple treatments in a single day.
At The Mind Grove TMS Center in Colorado Springs, Accelerated TMS is part of a physician-led psychiatric care model. Megan Bowers, MD, PhD evaluates whether Accelerated TMS, standard rTMS, iTBS, medication management, or a combination of care is the right fit for each patient.
Accelerated TMS is transcranial magnetic stimulation delivered on a more condensed schedule. The treatment itself is still TMS. The difference is how the sessions are scheduled.
For some patients, a standard daily TMS schedule may not be realistic. Accelerated TMS allows multiple sessions to be delivered in one day, shortening the overall calendar time while still using a structured treatment course.
Accelerated TMS using MagVenture technology is FDA-cleared for qualifying adults with major depressive disorder, including adults with MDD and co-occurring anxiety symptoms who have not had adequate improvement from antidepressant treatment during the current episode.
The Accelerated TMS protocol at The Mind Grove uses iTBS, or intermittent theta burst stimulation, as its delivery method.
A full Accelerated TMS course includes:
Patients remain awake and seated during treatment. No anesthesia or sedation is required, and patients can drive themselves after each appointment.
Before treatment begins, Dr. Bowers performs motor threshold determination to calibrate treatment intensity. This helps individualize the treatment before the course begins.
rTMS stands for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and is the broader treatment category. iTBS is a form of rTMS that uses rapid theta-burst stimulation patterns.
Accelerated TMS describes the use of either standard rTMS or iTBS to deliver multiple treatments per day, rather than one treatment per day. The Mind Grove TMS Center uses iTBS on a condensed schedule, with multiple iTBS appointments delivered in a single treatment day.
Accelerated TMS may be considered for qualifying adults or adolescents ages 15 or older with depression-related conditions, including:
Dr. Bowers evaluates each patient individually before recommending a protocol. Diagnosis, symptom history, prior treatment response, current medications, safety considerations, and treatment goals all matter in deciding whether Accelerated TMS is appropriate.
A condensed schedule can be helpful for patients who need a shorter treatment timeline, but it is not the right fit for everyone. Some patients may be better served by standard rTMS, iTBS on a non-accelerated schedule, medication management, or a different care plan.
Please note that the use of accelerated TMS for adolescents for MDD, or for adolescents or adults for PTSD or GAD is not yet FDA approved, and is considered off-label.
Accelerated TMS does not automatically replace medication. For some patients, medication remains an important part of the treatment plan, and can even improve the effectiveness of TMS.
Dr. Bowers may incorporate medication augmentation alongside TMS when it supports the patient’s care. The goal is to build a treatment plan that fits the patient’s clinical needs, not to force every patient into a single approach.
Before beginning Accelerated TMS, Dr. Bowers completes a clinical evaluation to determine whether TMS is appropriate and safe for the patient’s condition and history.
If Accelerated TMS is recommended, treatment takes place in the Colorado Springs office. During each appointment:
A full Accelerated TMS course at The Mind Grove includes five sessions per day across six treatment days, followed by 2 treatments per week, for a total of 36 sessions over five weeks. Alternative accelerated schedules will be considered as well.
TMS is non-invasive and does not require anesthesia or sedation. Patients remain awake during treatment and can usually return to normal daily activities afterward.
Possible side effects may include scalp discomfort, headache, tingling, facial twitching, or lightheadedness. Mayo Clinic describes these as possible common side effects of TMS. Dr. Bowers reviews each patient’s medical and psychiatric history before treatment begins to determine whether TMS is appropriate.
Most insurance companies still consider accelerated TMS as experimental, and do not cover multiple sessions per day.
Colorado Medicaid does not cover TMS.
Before treatment begins, coverage is reviewed based on the patient’s diagnosis, payer requirements, and treatment plan.
The Mind Grove TMS Center is led by Megan Bowers, MD, PhD, a dual ABPN board-certified psychiatrist in Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Dr. Bowers’ background spans developmental genetics, neurobiology, and clinical psychiatry. She completed medical and graduate training at NYU School of Medicine, a postdoctoral research fellowship in Neurobiology at the University of Zurich, Adult Psychiatry residency at Georgetown University Hospital, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital.
That background shapes how Accelerated TMS is used at The Mind Grove. The protocol is not selected only because it is faster. It is considered when the diagnosis, treatment history, safety profile, and care plan support a condensed course.
The Mind Grove uses MagVenture technology for TMS treatment.
The Mind Grove TMS Center provides Accelerated TMS in Colorado Springs for qualifying adults with major depressive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, and MDD with co-occurring anxiety symptoms.
For patients considering TMS, Dr. Bowers evaluates whether standard rTMS, iTBS, Accelerated TMS, medication management, or a combination of care best fits the patient’s clinical needs.
Accelerated TMS at The Mind Grove includes 36 total sessions. Treatment is delivered as five sessions per day across six treatment days during a two-week period, followed by two treatments per week for 3 weeks. Alternative accelerated scheduled will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Each appointment is approximately 20 minutes total. The iTBS stimulation portion lasts about 10 minutes, but the full appointment includes positioning, setup, and clinical oversight. Inter-session intervals are typically 50 min, and there are typically 5 treatments per day.
Yes. Accelerated TMS using MagVenture technology is FDA-cleared for qualifying adults with major depressive disorder, including adults with MDD and co-occurring anxiety symptoms who have not had adequate improvement from antidepressant treatment during the current episode.
They are related, but not the same. iTBS is the stimulation pattern used during treatment. Accelerated TMS refers to the condensed schedule, with multiple iTBS appointments delivered in one treatment day.
In most cases, yes. Medication can remain part of care when it supports the patient’s treatment plan. Dr. Bowers reviews current medications before making treatment recommendations.
Blumberger, D. M., Vila-Rodriguez, F., Thorpe, K. E., Feffer, K., Noda, Y., Giacobbe, P., Knyahnytska, Y., Kennedy, S. H., Lam, R. W., Daskalakis, Z. J., Downar, J., et al. “Effectiveness of Theta Burst Versus High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Patients With Depression (THREE-D): A Randomised Non-Inferiority Trial.” The Lancet, vol. 391, no. 10131, 2018, pp. 1683–1692. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29726344/
MagVenture. “FDA Clearances.” https://magventure.com/us/fda-clearances/
Mayo Clinic. “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcranial-magnetic-stimulation/about/pac-20384625
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. TMS may not be appropriate for every patient. Treatment decisions should be made with a licensed medical professional after a clinical evaluation.