WHAT IS TMS?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is a noninvasive form of brain stimulation.
TMS devices operate completely outside of the body and affect central nervous system activity by applying powerful magnetic fields to specific areas of the brain that we know are involved in depression and other conditions related with brain functioning.
TMS doesn’t require anesthesia and it is generally exceptionally well tolerated as compared to the side effects often seen with medications and ECT.
TMS is a Neuromodulation technique, a type of stimulation intended to regulate and improve brain activity involved in different conditions.
It is a safe procedure that uses an insulated coil placed over your scalp to deliver electromagnetic pulses.
TMS electromagnetic pulses are the same as those used in magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, machines.
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Are there any side effects of TMS therapy?
TMS treatment is without the side effects typically experienced with antidepressants, such as weight gain, stomach issues, dry mouth, and sexual dysfunction.
In rare cases, TMS may cause headache, but you should be able to resume your daily activities right after treatment.
Why would a magnet affect how my brain works?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation relies on two basic principles of physics: electricity and magnetism. These two principles can also work cooperatively, and TMS relies on their ability to work together.
When you bring a magnet near something that conducts electricity, the interaction between the conductive item and the magnetic field generates electricity.
Your brain is electrically active. The brain cells in your brain and nerves (known as neurons) use tiny amounts of electricity to send and relay information throughout your brain and body.
Bringing a magnet close to your brain can influence your brain’s electrical activity.
TMS targets specific parts of your brain, especially those related to your emotions, internal decision-making, feelings of pleasure, etc.
However, doing TMS requires a magnet that switches on and off. Doing that is possible by using electricity to control when the magnet is on or off. It also requires a magnet that’s much stronger than the average magnet on your refrigerator or that you keep around your home.
What to expect during treatment?
A personalized TMS protocol is tailored to the patient. TMS requires a series of treatments to be effective.
During each treatment, an electromagnetic coil is placed on your head, stimulating the brain with repetitive magnetic pulses. Here, you’ll be sitting in a comfortable position receiving these magnetic pulses for anywhere from 3 to 40 minutes depending on which protocol is best for you.A typical protocol includes rTMS at 10-12 HZ, roughly 3000 pulses, for 20 minutes.
NeuroMod also makes use of the innovative Theta Burst Stimulation. The Theta Burst device can utilize iTBS at 5 Hz (5 Bursts/second) and 50 Hz (3 pulses/burst), 300-600 pulses, for 3-6 minutes. Each treatment typically will target your dorsolateral or the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex.
THETA BURST STIMULATION
Theta-burst Stimulation (TBS) is a special form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).The main advantage of Theta-burst Stimulation is that it is able to produce powerful and long-lasting effects to targeted parts of the brain, all while using a lower stimulation intensity and shorter time of duration compared to conventional rTMS protocols.
Theta-burst Stimulation (TBS) is the latest, most advanced TMS technology. Theta Burst TMS has been shown to consistently produce longer-lasting results than even conventional TMS — the odds of full remission after Theta Burst treatment are the highest of any TMS treatment available.Another added benefit of Theta Burst treatment is the 3-4 minute total session duration, whereas a conventional TMS session can last up to 37 minutes.
iTBS vs cTBS
iTBS
Intermittent TBS (iTBS) is an excitatory stimulation used to increase neuronal activity. This excitatory stimulation is useful for disorders like depression where parts of the brain are underactive.
cTBS
Continuous TBS (cTBS) is an inhibitory stimulation used to calm or decrease neuronal activity. This inhibitory stimulation is useful for disorders like anxiety or tinnitus where parts of the brain are overactive.
