Is there anything TMS can’t do for mental health? That’s the burning question that researchers around the world are committed to finding out. Since TMS was approved by the FDA for treating depression in 2008, numerous studies have shown that it can also be effective with helping with other disorders ranging from addiction to eating disorders and anxiety to PTSD. At the TMS Institute of Arizona, we offer all current protocols for TMS therapy including standard and accelerated treatment options. If you are challenged by a problem related to mental health, scheduling a consultation can help determine if you’re a good candidate for therapy.
As TMS continues to be sought after as a no-prescription, non-invasive treatment, scientists are hard at work determining if it might be helpful for other issues—including Alzheimer’s. A recent article in BMC Psychiatry, written by Yang Zhen and Zhou Ying, explored how TMS might help with the psychological and behavioral concerns associated with this form of dementia. They found that in some cases, TMS can “significantly” help Alzheimer’s patients and thus far there have only been a handful of cases reporting an adverse reaction. However, they also stress that considering different parameters and protocols for TMS therapy is essential.
TMS and Dementia: A Case Study
The authors describe one patient with dementia, which was further complicated with mental behavior disorder. The patient was treated with standard TMS after failing to respond well to medications. One month after treatment, they “showed improved symptoms of mental behavior, decreased cognitive function, and prolonged sleep duration.” Once the patient was changed to a different parameter of TMS therapy, their mental behavior and cognitive functions improved while the sleep time returned to normal levels. However, this patient did experience an epileptic seizure following one of the sessions, which caused their TMS parameters to be changed once again. At this point, there were no longer any seizures and symptoms continued to improve.
It should be stressed that seizures with TMS therapy are a very rare side effect. Additionally, there are established parameters that occur in typical clinical settings, whereas studies analyzing the manipulation of such parameters are not the same as “getting TMS treatment.” Thus, the researchers determined that
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has a positive effect on cognitive function and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and adverse reactions are inevitable. Planning personalized treatments according to the patients can reduce occurrence of adverse reactions.
Alzheimer’s disease is perhaps the most well-known, notorious, and devastating form of dementia. It is a neurodegenerative disease that can seriously affect those typically in their later years. Currently, there is no “cure” for Alzheimer’s. However, as the population ages, the number of people with Alzheimer’s has been rapidly increasing. It is estimated that there is a new person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s every three seconds. This is estimated to increase three-fold by the year 2050. In other words, an answer to Alzheimer’s disease is imperative.
Dementia and TMS
Alzheimer’s (and other forms of dementia) can render a person completely dependent on others. This means it is not only their life that is severely and negatively impacted, but the lives of everyone around them. Almost everyone with dementia presents with at least one behavioral or psychological symptom with half of those developing a form of psychosis (delusions and hallucinations). They are also prone to apathy, mood disorders, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, mental illnesses, and other co-morbidities. Medications for dementia typically do not work that well, making TMS a promising option for treatment.
TMS for dementia works by either enhancing or decreasing cortical excitability via external magnetic pulses to the cortex. This can lead to long-term, permanent, and positive changes. The authors say that TMS has been used as a treatment with “high safety and less side effects, which can reduce the use of anti-psychotic drugs and the side effect of these drugs.” They point to a variety of other studies which have shown that TMS is “effective in patients’ memory, mood, personality and behavior changes.”
TMS works by changing brain patterns, which means it might possibly be the future cure for dementia. To find out more or to schedule your own consultation for TMS therapy, contact the TMS Institute of Arizona by calling the office or filling out the online contact form now.
