Magnetic brain stimulator touted as treatment for depression

Taking in the good times at the annual American Psychiatric Association meeting, Wired caught wind of a new type of device that psychiatrists think will be effective in treating tough cases of depression. The devices employ a technique known as transcranial magnetic stimulation, which sends an electromagnetic pulse two to three centimeters into the brain, stimulating prefrontal cortex and paralimbic blood flow, which in turn increases the serotonin output as well as the dopamine and norepinephrine functions. Previously, that technique required patients to go under anesthesia, but these new devices will apparently make it possible for the procedure to be done right in the psychiatrist's office, with the patient able to go home immediately afterward. According to Wired, some ten companies are already planning to manufacture the devices, which will apparently come in a variety of forms including a handheld unit (seen above) and a "cap" resembling a beauty-parlor hair dryer. In addition to depression, the devices have apparently also shown some promise in treating migraines, although that's reportedly still being tested.

[RandomThoughts @ May 22nd 2007 2:57PM]

They was giving me ten thousand watts a day, you know, and I'm hot to trot! The next woman takes me on's gonna light up like a pinball machine and pay off in silver dollars!

[apeguero @ May 22nd 2007 4:17PM]

Now who in their right mind would place this device on their head?

[ChristB @ May 23rd 2007 6:59PM]

Knowing a person who suffers from serious migranes I can tell you this no shortage of folks who would want one of these puppy's. You don't have to use them all the time. From past articles I read, the device helps adjust your brainwaves and makes your neural pathways work in a more normal state. You should get a few hours of relief at the least. I'm really hoping the migrane research proves useful.

[apeguero @ May 24th 2007 12:26PM]

Thanks ChristB. I hope my short sentence didn't come through as insensitive. I have a sister that suffers from migranes also. I guess if this contraption would help alliviate the pain then it is really good. I'm just glad I don't suffer form that.

[Jason @ May 22nd 2007 6:04PM]

Ya sammy, it looks stupid so it couldn't possibly work. Kind of like those silly heart defribulator things, you're telling me that you're going to SHOCK my heart with paddles and get it beating again, COME ON!!

[magicktouch7 @ Apr 18th 2009 9:40AM]

Re: your comments; "those silly heart defribulator things" and "SHOCK my heart with paddles and get it beating again"...
Just what century are you living in? Have you never watched ER? As an RN, I can tell you firsthand that those "silly heart (note spelling, please) DEFIBRULATOR things", get this, ACTUALLY WORK!! As any survivor of a heart attack will be more than glad to tell you, they owe their lives to the "SHOCK (to their) heart with paddles." Because, guess what, Jason? It Does "get it beating again"!
Again, I'm wondering if you're a time-traveler from the 18th or 19th century, cause we've been shocking people's hearts back into beating for many decades now.
Now, regarding the above quack-gizmo, I am extremely doubtful. The way electromagnetic stimulation works, a well-trained MD must place actual electrodes in very precise areas, so if this item ever comes out for the general market, Don't Buy It! See a Dr instead.

[Jason @ Apr 18th 2009 11:16AM]

Your Sarcasm detector is badly broken.

[rtzrtzrtzrtz @ May 22nd 2007 6:35PM]

oh sweet placebo

[allen @ May 22nd 2007 6:37PM]

Has anyone ever read Walker Percy's "Love in the Ruins"? This sounds amazingly like his 'Ontological Lapsometer'... stranger than ficion...

[Cheryl @ May 22nd 2007 8:52PM]

OMG I remember the Flowbee! I wanted one last year and looked all over to discover it was nowhere to be found and if I wanted one I would have to make it and well... the fantasy ended there... obviously...

http://www.kultic.com

[magicktouch7 @ Apr 18th 2009 9:40AM]

Hi Cheryl~ my husband bought one years ago & still uses it on himself & our 4 boys. If you can't find one on e~bay, you can get the "dog-trimmer" version in any pet store; it's the Exact same thing, only with photos of dogs on the box!!

[bombastinator @ May 22nd 2007 9:34PM]

mmmm... a flowbee could actually work for long haired pets. I wouldn't want one near my head though.

Speaking of which I must point out a few things that bother me here:
(1.) the device claims to help do two things that while related conceptually are totally unrelated physically. How is this possible. Smells like team spirit to me.

HUMANS ARE NOT MAGNETIC. If this thing worked, whenever we were put inside an MRI our heads would explode.

Until I see some really good evidence on this thing I am going to assume it belongs Here. http://www.museumofquackery.com/

[magicktouch7 @ Apr 18th 2009 9:40AM]

Actually, bombastinator, humans are Extremely electrical, And magnetic. As an RN, I can tell you that an MRI actually works Because of the human electromagnetivity. The super-strong electromagnets within the MRI machine causes the cells (which have negative and positive ends, just like a battery) to flip-flop, and that is how the pictures are created.
In some people who are, shall we say, super-electrical or super-magnetic, an MRI session can cause a semi-permanent reversal of their cells' polarities; such that their watches will run backwards, and they can turn lights on & off just by being near them. They have to have a second session in the MRI to re-reverse the cells' polarities! Cool, huh?

[Trent Nadeau @ May 22nd 2007 10:27PM]

Everyone who thinks this is nonsense should look up transcranial magnetic stimulation on wikipedia. The magnetic field induces currents in the brain which activate neurons. It's that simple: magnetic induction. TMS has been used so far in labs for depression, epilepsy, creating temporary autistic savants, and creating various religious "visions," like out-of-body experiences, sense of a presence, etc.

[Robert @ May 22nd 2007 10:50PM]

And that's not all! This item will also degauss all of your unwanted hard disk storage media!!

[drtekger @ May 22nd 2007 11:56PM]

All your brain are belong to us!

[W.W. van den Broekkk @ May 23rd 2007 2:25AM]

In this article it is stated that treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)required anesthesia. This is wrong, you never needed anesthesia with TMS, the author probably means electroconvulsive therapy which is a totally different treatment for depression. It is one with the most evidence that it actually works for severe depression even if all else had failed. That can't be said for TMS yet. See http://ectweb.blogspot.com/

[DiscoRaj @ May 23rd 2007 1:59PM]

TMS has been tested for years all over the world. HOWEVER; this does look shady. Not FDA approved. TMS has been shown to be effective for treatment of depression, enhancing motor performance, etc. search for TMS at www.pubmed.gov
anything by J Rothwell is very good.

[Leonard @ May 24th 2007 5:03PM]

Does the Magnetic brain Stimulator help or treatment for AGORAPHOBIA?
OR Could this be a cure for Agoraphobia?

[peter panagopoulos @ Dec 2nd 2008 10:28AM]

very good product i need one for my anxiety