Contrary to what you might think, depression is a very treatable disease. However, standard treatments such as medications and psychotherapy aren't effective for every patient. We have been discovering the different functions of regions of the brain and have been using this knowledge to treat complex brain disorders. So where do magnets come into play? Due to invasive procedures such as burning focal lesions, restricted areas of injured brain tissue, a new common technique has been put into play. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive technique that stimulates different brain circuits. To treat depression, doctors stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of the brain involved in emotional regulation. During a session, an electromagnetic coil is placed on the scalp and the coil delivers magnetic pulses stimulating the nerve cells of the DLPFC. It activates that region, and this is effective because this region of the brain has decreased activity during depression.This process is currently approved by the FDA for depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and people who struggle with obsessive smoking. A current obstacle is the lack of precision thus far. The DLPFC is connected to other brain circuits that must also be stimulated as part of treatment. Some studies use MRI guided treatments to target these circuits but targeting the correct brain circuits for each person is not a one size fits all situation. Most patients are stimulated at different regions of the brain, and we are currently working towards 'circuit maps'. By analysis of the brain circuit of healthy individuals, we are currently collecting data on how to get TMS to accurately target each patient. As TMS research continues to grow, in the near future we can actually use magnets to treat many complex brain disorders, revolutionizing the mental health industry.
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