November 14th, 2025
Depression is one of the most common and disabling illnesses worldwide. While existing treatments can help, many people continue to struggle, and recovery can take weeks or even months. At the University of British Columbia (UBC), we’re exploring a new way to make treatment faster, more effective, and more accessible.
Our teams at the Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Therapies (NINET) Lab, led by Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez and Dr. Guy Faulkner’s Population Physical Activity (Pop-PA) Lab, are launching a pilot study testing the combination of short bouts of exercise with brain stimulation. The approach pairs 15-minute “exercise snacks” with a single day of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a non-invasive form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) that can enhance brain plasticity and improve mood.
We believe that exercise may prime the brain to respond more effectively to stimulation, creating a stronger and faster antidepressant effect. If successful, this project could lay the foundation for a new generation of treatments that are not only science-driven but also accessible and scalable.
Why This Matters
- Depression affects over 300 million people worldwide, however many experience barriers to treatment, or treatment resistance.
- Brain stimulation and exercise are both thought to promote neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to learn, grow, and create new connections.
- By combining them, we aim to unlock a faster and more efficient pathway to recovery.
This pilot study will be the first of its kind to test this approach in people living with depression. With community support, we’ll be able to complete this critical first step by enrolling 10 participants and collecting the data needed to expand into a larger clinical trial.
How You Can Help
We’re raising funds to support:
- Participant recruitment and compensation
- Equipment and materials for exercise and stimulation sessions
- Training for the clinical research team
Every donation — big or small — helps move us closer to a future where depression treatments are faster, more effective, and more accessible for everyone.
Join us in driving innovation in mental health care.
Together, we can make recovery possible.
🔗 Boosting Depression Recovery with Exercise + Brain Stimulation – Crowdfundraising UBC