ECT, TMS, and Ketamine For Depression –
McLean, VA Psychiatrist Offers Hope
Depression can have devastating
consequences on one’s life, including
withdrawal from the world, feelings of
loneliness and isolation, loss of enjoyment
and motivation, disrupted sleep and appetite,
pervasively negative mood, and a sense of
hopelessness and worthlessness.
Some people with depression
wonder whether life is worth
living, and some tragically end
up acting on suicidal thoughts.
Today Your Health Magazine
based near Washington DC
released a report outlining three
important treatments which offer
hope for people suffering from
depression:
Transcranial Magnetic
Stimulation (TMS),
Esketamine Treatments,
and Electroconvulsive
Therapy (ECT).
The report starts by discussing
transcranial magnetic stimulation
(TMS), a non-invasive brain
stimulation therapy cleared by the
FDA in 2008 for treatment of
moderate to severe depression.
TMS uses electromagnetic pulses to
stimulate activity in the parts of the brain
that are underactive in depression. Up to
40-60% of patients with depression have
a positive response to TMS, with 30-40%
of patients showing complete remission of
symptoms.
The next treatment discussed is
esketamine, which is related to the drug
ketamine (sold under the brand name
Spravato). Esketamine is a novel, FDA-
approved nasal spray indicated for
treatment-resistant depression in adults in
conjunction with oral antidepressant
therapy.
Esketamine works by modulating
receptors of the neurotransmitter,
glutamate, in the brain, although
the mechanisms of its
antidepressant effects are not yet
fully determined.
Finally, the report concludes
with electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT), which is known as the
gold-standard, often life-saving
treatment for severe
depression.
It involves the delivery of a brief
electrical stimulus to the brain to
induce a seizure, which is brief,
controlled, and closely monitored.
ECT brings about changes in brain
activity leading to clinical
improvement.
Learn more at
mcleanntc.com