TMS Therapy in Trial Phase

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), originally developed as a technique for use in research on the brain, is now being tested as a potential treatment in cases of severe depression.

TMS uses powerful charges of magnetic energy to effect electrical activity in the brain. Much in the way you would use a dimmer to adjust the intensity of a lamp, researchers can use TMS to selectively turn on and off particular regions of the brain in order to observe the effects on the subject’s cognitive abilities.

Since 1985, researchers have used TMS to assist their work in understanding the functions of the various parts of the brain. However, the technique is now under study for its potential use as a non-invasive treatment for severe depression and other neurological disorders. This treatment, known more specifically as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), directs short pulses of magnetic energy at areas of the brain believed to control mood. rTMS is currently in trial phase to determine the anti-depressant effects of the treatment, as well as the safety of its use.

At the head of current rTMS clinical research is Neuronetics, Inc., a U.S.-based corporation dedicated to the development of non-invasive treatments of neurological disorders. Neuronetics, Inc. is now conducting clinical trials in 12 U.S. states to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of rTMS as a treatment of severe depression.

Preliminary findings on rTMS therapy remain largely inconclusive, and a consensus throughout the medical community has not yet been reached as to the effectiveness of the treatment. A 2001 review by the Cochrane Collaboration, an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing up-to-date and accurate information on developments in healthcare, concluded, “there is no strong evidence for benefit from using transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat depression, although the small sample sizes [used in the study] do not exclude the possibility of benefit.” (Full text available here.) Meanwhile, the BioMag laboratory at Helsinki University Central Hospital in Finland reports positive findings on rTMS treatments for depression. See their website for more information.

The side effects of rTMS are still under investigation; however, the therapy is not believed to be dangerous, as the magnetic fields used in the treatment do not reach parts of the brain responsible for critical life functions. One interesting claim is that TMS is capable of inducing savant-like mental abilities in subjects; for more information, see here.

So what does it all mean for magnet therapy in general?

Because the magnets used in rTMS are extremely powerful ones, the efficacy of rTMS therapy does not necessarily imply therapeutic properties of less powerful magnets. However, should rTMS treatment prove successful, this may lead to increased credibility of alternative medicine, and perhaps spark interest in further research in the broader scope of magnet therapy.

“Neuronetics, Inc. is the world’s leader in advancing therapeutic applications of high field pulsed magnetics for disorders of the central nervous system.” For more information on Neuronetics, Inc. and its clinical trials of rTMS therapy, visit www.neuronetics.com.

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