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A NEW HOPE FOR DEPRESSION – PART 1 OF 2
thesoberworld.com/2018/01/01/new-hope-depression-part-1-2
Treatment resistant depression is one of the most crippling and emotionally devastating
conditions known to man. The loss of hope in ever recovering from a disease that does not
respond to conventional treatment and has hopelessness as one of its symptoms can lead
to a deadly downward spiral. Many good medications have been developed to treat Major
Depression over the years, but sometimes the disease can be too severe and the medicine
does not work. Some intensive treatments, such as ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy), are
very effective but have severe side effects. This leaves many patients seeking a better
solution. This dire need for a better solution led to the development of TMS.
So what exactly is TMS? TMS is the acronym for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation,
which is a cutting edge treatment for depression that involves stimulation of brain tissue
using electromagnetic pulses. This non-invasive procedure improves symptoms of
depression by activating the parts of the brain associated with mood control and
depression. TMS has grown in popularity due to the high degree of effectiveness while
having very few side effects and absolutely no circulation of medication in the
bloodstream. The process starts with the placement of an electromagnetic coil over the
scalp near the forehead. The motor strip, the area of the brain responsible for movement
of limbs and muscles, is then mapped out. This is necessary in order to subsequently
determine the location of the lateral pre-frontal cortex. The actual procedure involves
delivering a sequence of magnetic pulses to the left lateral pre-frontal cortex to induce
stimulation. The magnetic pulses pass through the scalp and the skull to reach the target
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brain tissue. TMS activates the actual neurons by inducing an electrical current in the part
of the brain cell called the axon. This current travels to the nerve cell body and then
affects other connecting brain cells. Thi