Posted by SLS on December 7, 2009, at 16:55:37
In reply to rTMS, posted by morganator on December 7, 2009, at 16:14:55
> Does anyone have any idea how rTMS works? I would love if it could possibly help me but unfortunately I don't think it would given my particular illness.
Magnetic fields can produce electric currents through induction. That's how generators work. In excitable cells (neurons, muscle), the induced current produces action potentials - neuron firings. It takes a heck of a strong magnetic flux to penetrate the skull to produce this effect. The focus of effect is therefore not very deep, but is deep enough to work on temporal and prefrontal areas. It is sort of like a well-placed, localized, and minimal dosage of ECT. Placement of the coil is usually on the left side of the forehead, and the magnetic flux is focused on the left prefrontal cortex. The optimum frequency of the pulse train is 10Hz.
I don't know what the mechanism is by which rTMS treatment exerts an antidepressant effect. Perhaps it is similar to that of ECT. I think those pathways in the LPFC that are stimulated make their way to the limbic system. There might be a LTP thing going on here.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:928451
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091206/msgs/928457.html