New 5-Day Treatment Shows 90% Relief for Severe Depression

People who've battled severe depression for years without finding relief now have a powerful new option that could change their lives in less than a week.

UC Davis Health just launched SAINT at its East Sacramento clinic, a treatment that compresses what typically takes six weeks into five intensive days. The approach uses transcranial magnetic stimulation, a non-invasive technique that delivers magnetic pulses to specific areas of the brain.

The results from Stanford University's initial study are striking. Nine out of ten participants experienced meaningful relief from severe depression symptoms after completing the five-day protocol.

What makes SAINT different is personalization and intensity. Before treatment begins, doctors use brain imaging to map each patient's unique neural connections. This lets them target the exact spots most likely to help that specific person.

Then comes the accelerated part. Instead of one daily session spread over weeks, patients receive ten treatment sessions each day for five consecutive days. It's an intensive approach designed for people who've already tried multiple medications and therapy without success.

The timing matters more than ever. Depression rates in America hit a historic high of 18.3% in 2025, according to Gallup. That's nearly one in five adults. The CDC reports depression has surged 60% over the past decade.

Of those being treated, about one-third face treatment-resistant depression, where symptoms persist despite trying different medications. For these patients, the wait for relief can feel endless.

"Treatment-resistant does not mean untreatable," says Dr. Katharine Marder, a psychiatrist at the clinic. The field of interventional psychiatry keeps advancing, giving doctors more tools to help patients who've exhausted traditional options.

SAINT joins other advanced therapies already available at UC Davis, including conventional TMS, esketamine nasal spray, and electroconvulsive therapy. Each treatment offers a different pathway for people struggling to find what works for them.

The Ripple Effect

When someone finds relief from severe depression, the benefits extend far beyond that individual. Relationships heal. Work performance improves. Physical health often gets better too.

Dr. Debra Kahn, medical director of the clinic, notes that many patients arrive after years of suffering that's affected every corner of their lives. Having a treatment that could provide meaningful improvement in days rather than months means faster return to family, friends, and purpose.

The expansion of these advanced treatments in Sacramento means more people in Northern California can access cutting-edge care without traveling to major research centers. As these therapies become more widely available, they'll reach patients who might never have had the chance to try them.

For families watching loved ones struggle, knowing that "treatment-resistant" isn't the end of the road offers something precious: hope that hasn't run out of options.

Patients interested in SAINT can learn more through UC Davis Health's Mood Disorders and Depression webpage to see if the treatment might be right for them.