Magnetic pulses applied non-invasively to the scalp can stimulate the brain, to reverse brain changes, and to bring about rapid relief to severely depressed patients for whom standard treatments may have failed. This non-invasive brain stimulation modality is called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).
rTMS is based on the phenomenon of electromagnetic mutual induction, first reported by Michael Faraday in 1831. In 1985, Anthony Barker and his colleagues developed the first modern TMS device. rTMS generates brief electromagnetic pulses via an insulated coil placed over the scalp. These magnetic pulses non-invasively modulate the cortical activity of the brain.
On May 15, a study by Stanford University researchers reported some evidence that in people without depression, a part of the brain called the anterior insula sends signals to another part called the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas in people with depression, the signal goes the other way. According to the researchers, TMS may be alleviating depression by reversing the signal to go the right way.
