By: Christine Gorman
Published by TIME, partnership with CNN
After talking about transcranial magnetic stimulation in class, I was very interested to learn more about how it can treat disorders that affect social interaction, such as depression. As we discussed in class, the brain is both a chemical and electrical organ. Depression medication like Zoloft and Prozac target the chemical, which is where rTMS comes in. The article states that doctors are unsure of how rTMS actually works, but there is some speculation. It is certain that it is not the magnetic pulses, but rather the magnetic currents the pulses create that have an effect on the nerve cells in the brain. Martha, the subject of this article, had rTMS treatment five times a week for six weeks, and felt different after three.
The author compares rTMS to rebooting a computer. Because people with depression have an imbalance in their brains (the expression, “the wires are crossed”), the electric current sends shocks to the cortex, basically restarting the brain nad giving it a boost.
I think this is a fascinating technique, although it seems kind of scary. I think it is worth trying under severe circumstances, but I wonder what problems rTMS could cause if something went wrong.
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