Should You Try TMS (rTMS) for Depression?

TMS refers to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a treatment method for clinical depression first developed in the 1980s. In the psychology research literature, TMS is often referred to as rTMS — the little ‘r’ is for repetitive, because the treatment needs to be delivered at regular intervals to be most effective. What exactly is it? TMS is a simple, safe, external outpatient treatment procedure that pulses very specific wavelengths of magnetic fields to specific areas of your brain through your skull. It is believed these magnetic pulses help to reduce depression symptoms when administered in a course of treatment lasting 20-30 sessions over a period of six weeks (depending upon the response of the patient and the severity of the depression). What’s a treatment session of TMS like? TMS treatment sessions typically last about 40 minutes after the initial consultation that determines whether TMS is right for the patient. The TMS procedure is painless and you remain fully conscious during it. Many people report feeling a tingling or tapping sensation on their head during the procedure. Ear plugs are typically worn to help reduce the noise made by the TMS machine. TMS is administered by a TMS technician who has been trained and certified in the treatment. A typical treatment of rTMS includes high-frequency (10 Hz) stimulation of your brain’s left-side dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. rTMS machines and procedures vary slightly, depending upon ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Depression Disorders General Research Treatment Rtms Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation TRD Treatment Resistant Depression Source Type: blogs