Meeting/Event Information
AAPB Virtual Education: Heart–Brain Coupling as a Biomarker for Personalized TMS: Bridging Neuromodulation and Biofeedback
Presented by Martijn Arns, PhD
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
- 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Eastern
- 12: 00 pm to 1:00 pm Central
- 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Mountain
- 10:00 am to 11:00 am Pacific
About this Presentation
TMS, is an effective treatment method for depression. In practice, different stimulation locations on the scalp can be used for TMS. An important question is how knowledge of functional networks in depression can lead to a better selection of TMS location, and thus a greater chance of treatment success. Although heuristics used in practice, such as the 5-centimeter rule and the Beam-F3 method, are effective methods, there is a clear development towards thinking in functional networks instead of anatomy. At the moment, there are two promising methods that may result in more personalized stimulation locations. Both methods utilize known functional networks in depression, with a focus on the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC). The first method comprises fMRI-based TMS targeted at prefrontal locations that are anti-correlated with activity in the sgACC.
Over the last few years we have taken this fMRI-based targeting approach as an inspiration and by further investigating the frontal-vagal network, that terminates at the vagal nerve, we have developed a technique that utilizes TMS induced Heart-Brain-Coupling by only looking at heart-rate. Validation and replication studies will be presented, along with fMRI and DBS validation work, how this biomarker helps establish and individualizes frontal excitability threshold and recent work that validates the implications of heart-brain coupling for clinical response. Implications from a biofeedback perspective will be discussed.
Pricing
- AAPB Member and Student Member Price:$45 through October 6; $60 after
- Non Member Price:$85 through October 6; $100 after
- Non Member Student Price: $65 through October 6; $70 after
About Our Presenter
Martijn Arns, PhD - Founder and research director at Brainclinics Foundation and Brainclinics Heart-Brain Group, and visiting scholar at the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab (Stanford University)
Martijn is founder and research director at Brainclinics Foundation and Brainclinics Heart-Brain Group and visiting scholar at the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab (Stanford University) and is specialized in stratified psychiatry/precision psychiatry, TMS induced heart-brain coupling, QEEG and neuromodulation techniques such as rTMS and neurofeedback.
Our presenter has financial interest to disclose. Dr. Arns holds equity/stock in Sama Therapeutics, serves as consultant to Synaeda, Sama Therapeutics, Selma Health and Neumarker and is named inventor on patents and intellectual property but receives no royalties. He may benefit financially as a result of research findings presented herein. This presentation will be free of commercial bias.
CE Credits
1.0 CE credits available for full event participation. You must attend the full, live delivery of the presentation to qualify for CE Credits.
Learning Objectives
As a result of this presentation, you will learn to:
- Summarize the concept of stratified psychiatry and how it is different from one-size-fits all and precision psychiatry
- Describe how the frontal-vagal network overlaps with the depression network
- List different TMS targeting techniques used in the treatment of depression
Target Audience
Clinicians and researchers interested in optimizing clinical response using biomarkers
Level
Advanced
Builds upon established experience, knowledge, and skills in the content area. This may include more diverse applications to specific populations, or a novel application of the skill presented. Advanced level programming tends to be more specialized in nature and allows the learner to integrate and enhance knowledge and skills into their practice or other professional domains.
For those psychologists using the modality of biofeedback and interested in efficacy, science, and latest clinical applications. This conference (1) presents research relevant to psychological practice, education, and science; (2) it is our intention to host an offering to help psychologists to keep up with the most current scientific evidence regarding assessment, intervention, and education; and (3) we believe that this program would allow psychologists to increase competencies in order to improve services to patients. This conference is IN NO WAY a substitute for the basic academic education and training needed for entry into the field of psychology.
Utility and Validity (Risks)
Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of mental health professionals. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession’s standards.
DEIJ Considerations
By using biological biomarkers such as the EEG and ECG, treatments are optimized for everyone, independent of cultural background.
References
- Arns, M., Olbrich, S. & Sack, A. T. Biomarker-driven stratified psychiatry: from stepped-care to matched-care in mental health. Nature Ment. Heal. 1, 917–919 (2023).
- Dijkstra, E. et al. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation-induced Heart-Brain-Coupling: Implications for site selection and frontal thresholding – preliminary findings. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Sci (2023) doi:10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.01.003.
- Dijkstra, E. S. A. et al. Probing prefrontal-sgACC connectivity using TMS-induced heart–brain coupling. Nature Ment. Heal. 2, 809–817 (2024).
- Klooster, D., Voetterl, H., Baeken, C. & Arns, M. Evaluating Robustness of Brain Stimulation Biomarkers for Depression: A Systematic Review of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Electroencephalography Studies. Biol. Psychiatry 95, 553–563 (2024).
- Arns, M. & Williams, N. R. Interoception Biomarkers for Precision Neuromodulation. Biol. Psychiatry: Cogn. Neurosci. Neuroimaging 10, 444–446 (2025).
- Arns, M., Williams, N.R., Downar, J., Donjov, A., Coetzee, J. & Goya-Maldonado, R. Trigeminal nerve stimulation as an active control condition in TMS clinical trials: Evidence from heart-brain coupling and clinical outcomes. Brain Stimul. 18, 1403–1406 (2025).
Continuing Education Statement
Psychologists: The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback maintains responsibility for the program and its content.
This virtual workshop offers a MAXIMUM of 1.0 CE credits for maximum participation.
BCIA Recertification: Hour-for-hour attendance may be used to fulfill the continuing education requirements for recertification with certificate of attendance.
About Continuing Education: Coverage & Reciprocity
Psychologists (APA) Coverage & Reciprocity
The following state boards accept courses from APA providers for Counselors: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MO, NC, ND, NH, NE, NJ, NM, NV, OK*, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WY
MI: No CE requirements
The following state boards accept courses from APA providers for MFTs: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, MD, ME, MO, NE, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NV, OK*, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY
The following state boards accept courses from APA providers for Addictions Professionals: AK, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IN, KS, LA, MD, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NY (outstate held), OK*, OR, SC, UT, WA, WI, WY
* OK accepts APA credit for live, in-person activities. For all ethics and/or online courses, an application is required.
MA / MFTs: Participants can self-submit courses not approved by the MAMFT board for review.
The following state boards accept courses from APA providers for Social Workers: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, ME, MN, MO, NE, NH, NM, OR, PA, VT, WI, WY
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Those who attend this event in full and complete the appropriate evaluation form will receive CE credits. Those arriving more than 15 minutes after the start time or leaving before a given activity is completed will not receive CE credit.
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received by the AAPB office by ten days prior to event will be refunded minus a $25 processing fee. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GRANTED WITHIN TEN DAYS of the event. Cancellations must be made in writing and emailed to [email protected]. Fees cannot be refunded for registrations cancelled after the presentation begins.
Grievance Policy: The Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists. AAPB will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of program participants. The monitoring and assessment of compliance with these standards will be the responsibility of the Education Chair in consultation with the members of the continuing education committee, the AAPB Ethics Chairperson, Continuing Education (CE) Committee Chairperson, Program Planning Committee Chairperson, and/or the Conference Chairperson. While AAPB goes to great lengths to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there will be occasional issues which come to the attention of the convention staff which require intervention and/or action on the part of the convention staff or an officer of AAPB. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such grievances. 1. When a participant, either orally or in written format, files a grievance and expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be taken. If the person toward whom the grievance is directed is also the instructor or a chair of any of the above-mentioned committees, the AAPB Board of Directors will appoint a Board representative to oversee the resolution of any of the participant complaints, in an effort to avoid any and all conflicts of interest. If the grievance concerns a speaker, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the grievance will be asked to put his/her comments in written format. The CE Chair will then pass on the comments to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the grieved individual. 2. If the grievance concerns a workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the convention chair will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the convention chair will: a) attempt to move the participant to another workshop or b) provide a credit for a subsequent year's workshop or c) provide a partial or full refund of the workshop fee. Actions 2b and 2c will require a written note, documenting the grievance, for record keeping purposes. The note need not be signed by the grieved individual. 3. If the grievance concerns an AAPB CE program, in a specific regard, the CE Chair will attempt to arbitrate.
Contact name(s)*: Leslie Shivers, AAPB Executive Director
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 800-477-8892 or +1 303-422-8436
Address: PO Box 461797, Aurora, CO 80046-1797
Tickets
$85.00 Non-Member Ticket
$100.00 after 8:00 am March 11
$45.00 Member Ticket
$60.00 after 8:00 am March 11
$65.00 Non-Member Student Ticket
$70.00 after 8:00 am March 11
