Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a newer treatment for depression that uses a focal electromagnetic field generated by a coil held over the scalp, most commonly positioned over the left prefrontal cortex. Sessions are scheduled five times a week over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. In a trial involving mostly younger depressed adults, transcranial magnetic stimulation was superior to sham treatment (remission rate, 14% vs. 5%).This treatment does not require anesthesia and does not have cognitive side effects. However, a meta-analysis of six trials comparing transcranial magnetic stimulation with ECT showed that ECT has higher remission rates.Although a large multisite trial did not show that age was a significant predictor of response,other studies have suggested that depressed older adults may not have as robust a response as younger adults.