TMS for PTSD: Does Protocol Actually Matter? | Dr. Noah Philip | The Neurostimulation Podcast

In this episode of the Neurostimulation Podcast, Dr. Michael Passmore sits down with Dr. Noah Philip — Professor of Psychiatry at Brown University, Section Chief of Psychiatric Neuromodulation at the VA Providence, and leader at the VA Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology — to explore the cutting edge of brain stimulation for PTSD, depression, and beyond. Dr. Philip shares findings from a landmark multi-site VA study comparing three TMS approaches for PTSD, and what the results mean for clinicians worldwide. He also discusses accelerated TMS, the combination of tDCS with virtual reality exposure therapy, teaching TMS in Ukraine, and the exciting frontier of focused ultrasound as a noninvasive form of deep brain stimulation.

In this episode:

🧠 What Dr. Philip's lab at the VA Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology does

📊 Key findings from a propensity-matched cohort study of 756+ veterans comparing 10 Hz rTMS, iTBS, and deep TMS for PTSD — and why the bottom line is: "use whatever device you have"

💡 Why "treatment-resistant" may say more about our limitations than about patients

⚡ How accelerated TMS (5x/day for 5 days) can deliver comparable outcomes in just one week

🎮 Combining tDCS + virtual reality for PTSD — results from a JAMA Psychiatry study

🌍 Teaching TMS in Ukraine and what it means for resource-limited settings

🔬 First-in-human focused ultrasound to the amygdala: safety, early results, and why this technology excites him most

🤖 The role of AI — from facial decoding to personalized treatment prediction — in the future of precision psychiatry

Resources & References:

📄 Study: Effectiveness of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Multi-Site Propensity-Matched Cohort Study of Treatment Parameters — Brain Stimulation (2025)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41241259/

🏥 VA Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology

https://centerforneuro.org

💻 Unbroken Foundation, Lviv (Ukraine TMS training program)

https://unbroken.org.ua/foundation

About the Neurostimulation Podcast: Hosted by Dr. Michael Passmore, clinical associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UBC, the Neurostimulation Podcast explores the world of neuroscience, clinical neurostimulation, and interventional mental health — making cutting-edge research accessible to clinicians, researchers, students, and curious minds alike. The information in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Connect & Subscribe:

👍 Like and subscribe to never miss an episode

💬 Share your thoughts in the comments

📲 Share with a colleague who might find this helpful