Focuses on electroconvulsive therapy, a treatment for severe
depression. Requirement of general anesthesia; Side effects.
By
PT Staff, published on March 01, 1996
MAGNETIC STIMULATION
Just when electroconvulsive therapy is making a comeback,
scientists have developed what could be a kinder, gentler alternative.
Electroconvulsive therapy, also known as ECT or "shock therapy," is an
effective treatment for severe depression. But while ECT is safe, it does
require general anesthesia. And it can have some unsettling side effects,
like severe (though temporary) memory loss.
Enter "transcranial magnetic stimulation." Developed to explore
what different parts of the brain do, TMS may also turn out to be an
effective weapon against depression. A powerful electromagnet is
carefully positioned on the scalp, stimulating nearby neurons.
"We've found it safe and easy to do," reports Eric Wassermann,
M.D., a neurophysiologist at the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke.
Not everybody responds to TMS. But the success stories include some
remarkable cases. One woman, whose chronic depression resisted 10
different anti-depressant drugs, recovered after a month of daily TMS
sessions. Studies still underway are exploring whether TMS might also be
helpful for milder cases.
ILLUSTRATION
Tags:
anti depressant drugs,
chronic depression,
depression,
different parts of the brain,
electroconvulsive Therapy,
electromagnet,
eric wassermann,
general anesthesia,
illustration,
magnetic stimulation,
national institute of neurological disorders,
national institute of neurological disorders and stroke,
neurophysiologist,
parts of the brain,
scientists,
sessions,
shock therapy,
success stories,
treatment,
treatment for severe depression
