Wednesday, December 26, 2007

IEEE article on TMS




Nice article on TMS, and other neuromodulation technologies,in the IEEE Spectrum. The article was originally written in 2006 but it has some good insight into the world of neuromodulation. Reza Jalinous was interviewed for the TMS portion of the article as well as Dr. Pascual-Leone, whom I learned TMS and tDCS techniques from.


"Assuming that all the new brain stimulation techniques prove effective in the many upcoming trials, the psychiatrist's toolbox will look very different a decade from now. Patients will probably first be offered the less invasive techniques, such as transcranial direct current and magnetic stimulation; then the more invasive ones, such as the seizure therapies; and finally such surgical technologies as deep-brain stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation."

Illustration from IEEE Spectrum, by Matt Mahurin

TMS for Depression: a testimonial

Here is a testimonial from an NBC affiliate on the use of TMS for depression. It seems like the patient had some great results.
When I think about all of the patients I have seen that have had a miserable time with the side effects of antidepressants I can't help but think that one could make an argument for using non-invasive neuromodulation as a first-line treatment.

Head Wounds are Good For You!

At least that is what some studies have found about some Vietnam vets with certain head wounds.
Buzzle blogged about a study on vets with and without PTSD that found injuries to the prefrontal cortex or the amygdala were protective, at least with regard to developing PTSD.
Later in the article there is a suggestion that transcranial magnetic stimulation may play a role in the future treatment of PTSD based on these findings.