ABSTRACT
How TMS therapy works is by using targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain involved in mood regulation. Many people with mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), don’t respond well to medications. In fact, many people don’t want to take psychiatric medications because of long-term side effects. Unlike psychiatric medications, TMS therapy is a safe, non-invasive, and effective treatment option that may offer long-term relief from symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. TMS is covered by insurance for specific FDA-approved conditions.
How TMS Therapy Works for Depression
How TMS Therapy Works begins with understanding that Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. This treatment involves delivering repetitive magnetic pulses, which is why it is often called repetitive TMS or rTMS.
First developed in 1985, rTMS has been extensively studied as a treatment for depression, psychosis, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. During a TMS session, an electromagnetic coil is placed against the forehead near the area of the brain involved in mood regulation. Short magnetic pulses are then delivered through the coil.
To further explain how TMS therapy works, the magnetic pulses pass safely through the skull and create small electrical currents that stimulate nerve cells in targeted brain regions. These pulses activate areas of the brain that often show decreased activity in people with depression.
Because the magnetic stimulation typically does not reach deeper than about two inches into the brain, providers can precisely target specific areas without affecting surrounding regions. The magnetic field produced during treatment is comparable to that used in a standard MRI machine.
As these magnetic fields enter the brain, they generate small electrical currents that help activate nerve cells. These activated cells are believed to release important neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Since depression is often linked to an imbalance of these chemicals, TMS therapy helps restore balance — which explains how TMS therapy works to relieve symptoms and improve overall mood.