November
2008
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November
2008 |
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Over 175 articles on: Help support Mood --
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TMS new treatment for depression that doesn’t get better |
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The NeuroStar TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Therapy system for the treatment of depression was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October. The treatment is for adult patients with Major Depressive Disorder who have not improved with antidepressant medication. "Before now, few options have been available…other than complex and often unproven combinations of medications,” said John Greden, MD, Professor of Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences and Executive Director of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center. “Now, with the FDA clearance of NeuroStar TMS Therapy, there is new hope." The NeuroStar TMS Therapy system, made by Neuronetics, Inc., is the first and only TMS Therapy(R) device cleared by the FDA for the treatment of depression. TMS Therapy, or rTMS, the term used to refer to repetitive treatment., is a non-systemic (does not circulate in the bloodstream throughout the body) and non-invasive (does not involve surgery) form of neuromodulation which stimulates nerve cells in an area of the brain that is linked to depression, by delivering highly focused MRI-strength magnetic pulses. Patients being treated by NeuroStar TMS Therapy do not require anesthesia or sedation and remain awake and alert. It is a 40-minute outpatient procedure that is prescribed by a psychiatrist and performed in a psychiatrist's office. The treatment is typically administered daily for 4-6 weeks. In a randomized and controlled trial conducted for FDA clearance, patients who had failed to receive benefit from prior antidepressant medications showed significant improvement, without side effects such as weight gain, problems with memory or concentration, sedation or sexual dysfunction. The trial studied 164 patients with moderate to severe depression, many of whom had tried four prior antidepressant treatments. For people with bipolar disorder, says Jim Phelps MD, studies have shown there is some risk that the procedure will cause hypomania/mania, as can antidepressants. Phelps is the author of Why Am I Still Depressed?" and Psycheducation.org. |
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"Depression is a debilitating illness, and existing treatment options are frequently ineffective or intolerable due to side effects," said Neuronetics' President and CEO, Bruce Shook. "The availability of NeuroStar TMS Therapy means that patients suffering from this disease now have an entirely new non-systemic and non-invasive treatment option that has been proven safe and effective." A major problem for most people, says Phelps, is the cost. Insurance companies may well label the procedure “experimental” for several years to avoid paying for it. “At first it doesn't look so bad: a 30 minute treatment,” he says. “But in most research studies it was done every day or every other day, generally for at least many days if not several weeks. So the cost of this is going to be extremely high, certainly in the ballpark of ECT. That is pretty much out of reach for most working people.” Initially, NeuroStar TMS Therapy will only be available in a limited number of treatment centers around the country. For information on treatment locations, contact Neuronetics, (877) 600-7555. Related articles Sources
Image courtesy of Neuronetics, Inc. |
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As with any antidepressant treatment, patients should be monitored for symptoms of worsening depression. NeuroStar TMS Therapy has not been studied in patients who have not received prior antidepressant treatment.