Cleared as a form of treatment for depression in 2008, TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) and the use on the brain has been studied since the 1980s, although studies are dated back to the1980’s, the study of electrical energy and the effects TMS has on the nervous system has been around since the 1790s.
Since these studies commenced, TMS treatment has undertaken a more modern approach and has been successful in the ability to reduce the symptoms of depression.
Dating back to the 1790s, scientists discovered that electrical energy could be carried deep within the nervous system, later proving that the body’s tissue is a source of electricity; this revelation changed the way electrical signals within the body are understood.
Creating the very first TMS device in 1985, Dr. Anthony Baker created a device that identified the influence of magnetic stimulation on the motor cortex and with the use of magnetic fields.
Fast-forward to the 1990s, studies indicated that TMS was a safe and effective treatment of Depression. By 2010 the APA (American Psychiatric Association) included it as a mainstream safe treatment for depression.
In order to receive TMS therapy, the patient will sit on the treatment chair and have a magnetic coil placed on the designated areas (in depression, this is often adjacent to their dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). The coil then emits tiny electrical currents to the targeted regions. By producing these electrical currents, the therapy is able to enhance the functioning in the prefrontal cortex and strengthen the ability to communicate with other areas of the brain to regulate mood.
