# Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation



## mybrainhurts (Feb 9, 2007)

Hi, I am considering taking part in the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation study in NYC. Has anyone had any experience with this procedure?


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## invisible.ink (Feb 2, 2007)

What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?


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## Pollyanna 3098 (Dec 12, 2006)

This might help

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcranial_magnetic_stimulation


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## invisible.ink (Feb 2, 2007)

Thanks. Sounds scary.


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## Pollyanna 3098 (Dec 12, 2006)

> The exact details of how TMS functions are still being explored


 :shock:


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## invisible.ink (Feb 2, 2007)

Yeah...I don't think I'd feel comfortable with electronic pulses being sent through my brain tissue. I second your :shock: .


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## Pollyanna 3098 (Dec 12, 2006)

I know what you mean, it conjures up images of electric shock therapy

3098


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## invisible.ink (Feb 2, 2007)

I'd be too scared that somehow my brain chemistry would be forever changed.


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## birdie (Aug 23, 2004)

I've tryed TMS but I can not say it was helpfull.Sorry.
Birdie


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## resigned (Jun 27, 2007)

invisible.ink said:


> I'd be too scared that somehow my brain chemistry would be forever changed.


I've tried rTMS for major depression (most psychiatrist still categorize DPD as depression, unfortunately), but it was over pre-frontal cortex, not parietal, which I think is the locus for the DPD study at the Presbyterian. It did nothing for me, but there definitely were absolutely no negative side effects either. In fact, I felt no effect whatsoever, even though I had both low-frequency and high-frequency rTMS.

My profession is somewhat related to neurobiology, and I can assure you that rTMS is very safe, if administered by a professional. It's definitely not nearly as invasive as ECT, and in fact there are no direct currents applied to your scalp - only rapidly varying focused magnetic fields, which evoke electric currents in the local brain area, and very transiently (the standard Faraday effect). TMS is also much more benign than chronic anti-depressant treatment, which affects your brain physiology crudely and globally, in quite an un-targeted way. It's just that anti-depressants were around for many years, and their safety and efficacy (or lack thereof, depending on the med) has been established by trial and error, rather than by some rigorous scientific theory. Despite the Zoloft commercials, which all neuroscientists laugh at, we are at the very beginning of the road in terms of explaining the involvement of serotonin or NE in psych disorders. rTMS is just as scientific an approach as drug treatment, if not more so.

That said, I didn't have TMS administered to my parietal lobe, so I can't provide any useful info in regard to this study. I would definitely enroll if it didn't involve the whole three weeks...

Just my two cents... -- resigned


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