TMS Therapy is an outpatient procedure that uses short pulses of magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells within the area of the brain thought to control mood.
The treating clinician positions a treatment coil over the left prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved with mood regulation. Through the treatment coil, the NeuroStar TMS Therapy system generates highly concentrated, magnetic fields which turn on and off rapidly. These magnetic fields are the same type and strength as those produced by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine.
FDA cleared treatment for Major Depressive Disorder
- For those have not benefited fully from medication or have not found medication tolerable
- A non-invasive, office based treatment
- Takes 20-40 minutes per day, 5 days a week for 6-8 weeks
- Covered by most insurances
- Utilizes Pulses of a Magnetic Field (similar to what is used in MRI machines) to stimulate targeted areas of the brain that are underactive in Major Depressive Disorder
- Covered by most health insurances (insurances tend to require some prior medication trials)
- Well tolerated treatment approach that is free from the side effects often associated with antidepressant medications
- Main potential side effect is some scalp discomfort during the treatment pulses.
- Currently only for those with Major Depressive Disorder
How it works.
NeuroStar TMS Therapy® is a precisely targeted treatment. The magnetic fields produced by the system affect tissue only about 2-3 centimeters into the brain directly beneath the treatment coil.
These magnetic fields pass through the hair, scalp, and skull and into the prefrontal cortex unimpeded. This method allows for precise type of stimulation, minimizing the stimulation of brain tissue not involved in mood.
Inside the brain, the dynamic nature of the pulsed magnetic field induces electrical charges to flow. The amount of electricity created in the brain is very small, but these small electric charges cause the neurons to fire or become active. The treatment goal is to stimulate (or activate) brain cells non-invasively without anaesthesia or sedation. Patients remain awake and alert throughout the TMS Therapy session, able to resume normal life activities immediately following treatment.
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