A new way to treat depression was effective for 79% of patients
Miscellaneous / / January 20, 2022
Scientists from Stanford used the technique of magnetic stimulation of specific areas of the brain.
A key part of the updated treatment protocol is transcranial magnetic stimulation with theta bursts (iTBS). This method is painless, approved by US regulators, and can be easily adapted to the individual patient.
During the iTBS procedure, magnetic pulses are delivered to an area of the brain thought to be associated with depression. Previously, scientists offered six-week courses of daily sessions, but stable progress in treatment could not be achieved.
In the new experiments, Dr. Nolan Williams' team worked Experimental depression treatment is nearly 80% effective in controlled study magnetic impulses to a narrower area of the brain. The flash frequency was varied depending on how the patient responded to the procedure.
Sessions were reduced to ten minutes, but the intensity of treatment was increased. Within five days, patients underwent ten such procedures with 50-minute breaks.
As a result of the application of the protocol in a double-blind study in a group of 29 people, 79% of patients were able to
Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SNT): A Double-Blind Randomized go into sustained remission. Among the side effects, some participants noted headaches and temporary fatigue, but in general they were satisfied with the result.The author of the study noted:
It works well, quickly and non-invasively [without damaging the skin and mechanically affecting the internal organs]. The method can fundamentally change the rules of the game.
Nolan Williams
MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University
One of the patients, 60-year-old Tommy Van Brocklin, said he had been suffering from depression since 1975. For half a century, he tried many ways, but only now he felt a significant improvement. The patient added:
I don't procrastinate anymore. I sleep better. I completely gave up alcohol. I walk my dog and play the guitar again, just for fun.
Tommy Van Brocklin
study participant with depression
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