Motif Neurotech has secured FDA approval to begin a human trial of its blueberry‑sized brain implant, a device that delivers electrical stimulation to the central executive network. The study could offer a new treatment option for up to 9 million U.S. adults suffering from major depressive disorder, including 3 million who have not responded to medication. The implant sits just above the dura in the skull and can be placed in a 20‑minute outpatient procedure, eliminating the need for brain surgery. Motif Neurotech , founded in 2022, is part of a growing industry that also includes companies such as Neuralink , Paradromics and Synchron , which are developing brain‑computer interfaces for paralysis and communication. A 2021 study found that during a 12‑month period in the United States, nearly 9 million adults were undergoing treatment for major depressive disorder, and of those, almost 3 million were considered to have treatment‑resistant depression, when symptoms do not improve after at least two, and often more, antidepressant medications. Motif’s device uses wireless magnetoelectric technology, charged by a baseball‑cap‑style headset that patients wear during stimulation sessions. Jacob Robinson, Motif’s cofounder and CEO, explained that frequent electrical stimulation can drive neuroplasticity, potentially enabling patients to "get out of bed in the morning, call their friends, go to the gym." He added that the implant’s wireless design allows patients to receive therapy at home, reducing the burden of frequent clinic visits. Electrical stimulation has been used for decades to treat depression. Electroconvulsive or "shock" therapy began in the 1930s and is still used today in cases where patients don’t benefit from antidepressants. Deep brain stimulation is occasionally used experimentally but is not FDA approved. A much milder form of stimulation known as transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, was approved in 2008. While it can be highly effective, it typically requires a lengthy treatment regimen of five treatments a week for six weeks.