Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. What is it?

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy is the first and only non-systemic and non-invasive treatment for depression. TMS was recently cleared by the FDA for the treatment of depressed patients who failed to receive adequate benefit from prior antidepressant medication.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation works by delivering highly focused MRI-strength magnetic pulses to non-invasively stimulate the left prefrontal cortex of the brain.  Patients being treated with TMS Therapy do not require anesthesia or sedation and remain awake and alert.  It is a 40-minute outpatient procedure and is typically administered daily for 4-6 weeks.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation has been demonstrated to be effective, safe, and tolerable in the treatment of depressed patients that have failed to receive adequate benefit from prior antidepressant medication.  Below are some highlights from the clinical trials:

Efficacy

• Statistically and clinically significant improvements in depression symptoms
• Significant improvements in core depression symptoms and anxiety
• In the open-label trial, 54% of patients responded and 33% remitted

Safety and Tolerability

• More than 10,000 active treatments were safely performed
• No systemic side effects, such as weight gain, sexual dysfunction, nausea, or dry mouth
• No adverse effects on cognition
• Most common side effects were scalp pain or discomfort
• Less than 5% of patients discontinued treatment due to side effects

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is now available at the TMS Center of Wilton. We are pleased to be among the first in our area to offer this exciting new treatment. Please visit www.tmscenterofwilton.com for more information regarding TMS therapy.