Magnetic pulse therapy may help depression sufferers where drugs fail

Previous studies have found that about 20% of the over 30 million Americans who suffer depression during their lifetime will not be benefited by drugs or the side effects are too great. Traditionally, the alternative has been electroconvulsive or shock therapy which requires general anesthesia and can cause seizures or temporary memory loss. A new treatment is now being trialed at two Chicago hospitals for these unresponsive patients. The transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) takes about 45 minutes and involves targeting magnetic pulses into the brain portion linked to depression. Small studies have shown the treatment to alleviate depression in 40-50% of subjects. A confirmation of these results by another study under way will probably lead to the FDA’s approval of the treatment. Patients claim that treatment is a little uncomfortable but not unbearable. Side effects may include mild headache, scalp irritation, ringing in the ears and a small risk of seizure. The treatment requires initial regular treatments and it is quite costly. TMS is also being assessed for its possible use as a therapy for Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and migraines.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by Chicago Sun-Times

Related Disease Topics:

• Depression
• Parkinson’s disease
• Epilepsy
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Migraine
• Seizure
• Memory loss
• Mild headache
• Scalp irritation
• Ringing in ears

Article Source Details

About: Magnetic pulse therapy may help depression sufferers where drugs fail

Date: 31 January 2005

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Author: Jim Ritter

URL: http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-magnet31.html

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Mental disorder
• Psychological disorder
• Medication
• Side effect
• Side effect and shock therapy
• Side effect and seizure
• Side effect and memory loss
• Side effect and mild headache
• Side effect and scalp irritation
• Side effect and ringing in ears
• Side effect and transcranial magnetic stimulation
• Side effect and TMS
• Medication and depression
• Medication and Parkinson’s disease
• Medication and epilepsy
• Medication and schizophrenia
• Medication and bipolar disorder
• Medication and migraine
• Medication and seizure
• Medication and memory loss
• Medication and mild headache
• Medication and scalp irritation
• Medication and ringing in ears
• Research and depression
• Research and Parkinson’s disease
• Research and epilepsy
• Research and schizophrenia
• Research and bipolar disorder
• Research and migraine
• Research and seizure
• Research and memory loss
• Research and mild headache
• Research and scalp irritation
• Research and ringing in ears
• Cause of migraine
• Cause of seizure
• Cause of memory loss
• Cause of mild headache
• Cause of scalp irritation
• Cause of ringing in ears
• Research
• Medication
• Side effect