Depression is a common mood disorder with a significant and persistent low mood as the main clinical feature. According to the World Health Organization, the global incidence of depression is about 11%, with about 340 million people suffering from depression. Currently, depression has become the fourth largest disease in the world, and it is expected to become the second largest disease in humans after heart disease by 2020. In the United States, the cost of antidepressants is up to billions of dollars a year. However, the National Institutes of Health estimates that these drugs only work for 60% to 70% of patients. Therefore, in addition to drugs, scientists are also seeking other treatments.
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)'s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior offers a completely different drug-specific depression therapy, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), which uses a pulsed magnetic field to act on the central nervous system. The membrane potential of cortical neurons causes them to induce currents that affect brain metabolism and neuroelectric activity, causing a series of physiological and biochemical reactions. Simply put, this method is like rewiring the computer.
Currently, TMS has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression that does not respond to drugs. UCLA researchers say it has not been fully utilized. However, the new device launched this summer will provide treatment for more people.
Dr. Ian Cook, Director of the UCLA Depression Research and Clinical Program, said: "We are changing how the brain circuits are arranged and how they communicate with each other. The brain is an amazingly variable organ, in fact, every time people learn something new, brain structure Physical changes can be detected."
Before hearing TMS, Nathalie DeGravel, 48, of Los Angeles, has tried a variety of drugs and different types of treatments to treat her depression. Earlier this year, after discussions with a psychiatrist, she decided to try it at UCLA.
Within a few weeks, DeGravel noticed that her back pain had eased; shortly thereafter, her depression began to subside. DeGravel said she is now able to make a more "sensible" response to everyday difficulties in life, feel more resilient, and be able to do more at home. She even updated her resume and started looking for work for the first time in years.
Andrew Leuchter treats patients
During TMS treatment, the patient sits on a reclining chair, like the chair used in dentistry, where the technician places a magnetic stimulator at a predetermined location on the patient's head based on brain imaging calibration.
The stimulator sends a series of magnetic pulses to the brain. Treated people usually say that it feels like someone is tapping their brains and hearing snoring, so patients often wear headphones or earplugs during treatment.
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