Brain Stimulation Treatments
Brain-stimulation treatments are sometimes used for depression and other mental health disorders. They're generally reserved for situations in which medications and psychotherapy haven't worked.
Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT)
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure, done under general anaesthesia, in which small electric currents are passed through the brain thus intentionally triggering a brief seizure.
- It is one of the safest and effective treatment.
- Frequency: 2 to 3 times in a week or as per requirement
- Indications: Suicidal patients, during pregnancy, severe agitated patients, Refractory illnesses (depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar, OCD)
RTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation)
- Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a safe and non-invasive treatment technique used to treat various psychiatric and neurological disorders. It involves the stimulation of specific deep brain regions by the production of high and low-intensity magnetic fields which modulates the cortical excitability.
The therapeutic potentials for rTMS have been demonstrated for the following:
- Treatment-resistant depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Tourette disorder
- Chronic pain syndrome
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Movement disorders such as Parkinson disease, functional tremors, focal epilepsy, cortical myoclonus, spasticity.