Dr Sanil Rege, Consultant Psychiatrist discusses the mechanisms of action of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and its indications.
#transcranialmagneticstimulation #depression #tms
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is an evidence-based treatment for depression and treatment-resistant depression. It also has indications for other conditions such as PTSD, OCD, Migraine and Tinnitus.
TMS involves placing a small coil near the scalp that when engaged generates a magnetic field that induces an electrical field in the brain’s outer cortex in regions that are close to the coil.
TMS is a safe and effective computerised medical device that delivers non-invasive and focal magnetic stimulation to the DLPFC over a brief duration of time.
The pulsing magnetic fields induce electrical currents in these brain regions and over the course of 4 to 6 weeks can significantly increase a patient’s chances of achieving remission from depression.

TMS is seen as being a safe procedure however the possibility of a seizure during TMS therapy is a small yet significant safety concern. In a study of 325 patients with an accumulative 10,000 treatment sessions, no seizures were observed.

The most common adverse events with rTMS are headaches and scalp discomfort. Switching is possible in patients with bipolar disorder.

Local and international experience has demonstrated that rTMS can safely be provided as an outpatient therapy with no restrictions required of the patient after attendance for treatment.