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hope for people suffering from depression
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ECT, TMS, and Ketamine For Depression – McLean, VA Psychiatrist Offers Hope Depression can have devastating consequences on one’s life, including withdrawal from the world, feelings of loneliness and isolation, loss of enjoyment and motivation, disrupted sleep and appetite, pervasively negative mood, and a sense of hopelessness and worthlessness. Some people with depression wonder whether life is worth living, and some tragically end up acting on suicidal thoughts. Today Your Health Magazine based near Washington DC released a report outlining three important treatments which offer hope for people suffering from depression: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Esketamine Treatments, and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). The report starts by discussing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation therapy cleared by the FDA in 2008 for treatment of moderate to severe depression. TMS uses electromagnetic pulses to stimulate activity in the parts of the brain that are underactive in depression. Up to 40-60% of patients with depression have a positive response to TMS, with 30-40% of patients showing complete remission of symptoms. The next treatment discussed is esketamine, which is related to the drug ketamine (sold under the brand name Spravato). Esketamine is a novel, FDA- approved nasal spray indicated for treatment-resistant depression in adults in conjunction with oral antidepressant therapy. Esketamine works by modulating receptors of the neurotransmitter, glutamate, in the brain, although the mechanisms of its antidepressant effects are not yet fully determined. Finally, the report concludes with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which is known as the gold-standard, often life-saving treatment for severe depression. It involves the delivery of a brief electrical stimulus to the brain to induce a seizure, which is brief, controlled, and closely monitored. ECT brings about changes in brain activity leading to clinical improvement. Learn more at mcleanntc.com