Innovative Depression Treatments

Many people with depression struggle to find the right treatment for them. Some suffer from no response to medications or have intolerable side effects.

The health benefits that come from increased coverage of effective treatment are estimated to be substantial (table 2). The discounted value of these benefits is $399 billion for depression and $169 billion for anxiety disorders.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

TMS uses magnetic fields to deliver short pulses of electrical current to specific brain areas that appear to be overactive in those suffering from depression. The treatment is non-invasive, and doesn't require anesthesia. It is also extremely effective and well-tolerated compared to antidepressant drugs.

To receive TMS treatment, a person sits in a dental chair and is awake. A trained technician puts an instrument with a coil of magnetic material against the frontal part of the head. The coil's pulses are rapid and the user may feel or hear a clicking noise on their scalp. Each magnetic pulse (measured in hertz or Hz) is referred to as a "pulse". The frequency of the pulses can vary from low (1 pulse every second) to high (10 per second).

The treatment is not painful however the magnetic field can affect the cells of the outer layer. It depolarizes cortical neuronal cells, and the subsequent transynaptic effects can affect the deeper regions of the brain that are involved in mood. For instance, a higher-frequency TMS over the left dorsolateral frontal cortex (DLPFC) can increase mesolimbic neural circuits that regulate emotional responses.

Certain insurance plans cover TMS as an adjunct to psychiatric medications. You should check with your insurance provider to determine what your plan covers.

In clinical studies, TMS showed significant and continuous improvements in depression symptoms when compared with placebo. In a TMS treatment program, a patient may undergo up to 30 sessions over the course of a few weeks. Patients with severe depression may require a more prolonged course of treatment.

Some of the newest TMS treatments employ a lower frequency pulse, which is less likely to cause side-effects like seizures. Although the procedure is still experimental however, it's an effective treatment option for those who don't respond to antidepressants or psychotherapy.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

ECT helps to rebalance the brain's natural chemical balance. It is one of most efficient and safe treatments for depression. It can also be used to treat other mental health conditions like schizophrenia.

The ECT procedure takes place in a hospital or outpatient treatment center. It is performed by medical professionals. An anaesthetic general is administered before the procedure, so there is no pain. The ECT team will connect monitoring equipment to monitor your heart rate, oxygen levels, blood pressure and brain waves. You will be given an anti-muscle relaxant to keep you calm, as well as a mouth guard to guard your teeth. Two discs made of metal (bilateral ECT) or a single disc (unilateral ECT) is placed on your head on either side or in the middle of your forehead. The anaesthetist then gives you a shot of medication that puts you to sleep.

You will wake up in the ECT suite and a member of the ECT team will speak to you and answer any questions you may have. Before you are treated, you will be asked to sign the consent form. It is a good idea to have a trusted friend or relative with you when you learn about ECT, as it can be difficult to take in all the information in one go. You must be given at least 24 hours to think about the treatment resistant bipolar depression before you have to decide.

During the procedure, you may suffer brief seizures or fits lasting between 40 seconds and 2 minutes. The ECT doctor will adjust the intensity of your electric pulses depending on the way you react. You will probably have short sessions of ECT typically 6-12 sessions, twice a week.

There is no one theory on how ECT is performed, but it seems to trigger the release of certain chemicals which help brain cells communicate with one and each other. It also appears to alter how parts of your brain grow.

ECT is extremely effective in treating severe depression, suicidal ideas as well as catatonia due to depression and other psychiatric disorders. Research shows that about half of those who receive ECT improve and stay well for a period of one year or more. It is particularly helpful for those who haven't responded to medications and other psychosocial treatments.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS)

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure that involves the placement of electrodes into the brain. The electrodes are attached to tiny devices that send electric impulses into the region of your brain that regulates symptoms. The pulses can help relieve your symptoms and improve your quality of living. DBS can treat a range of ailments which include movement disorders, such as essential tremor and Parkinson's disease and psychiatric conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. It can also reduce seizures in people suffering from epilepsy. It is also able to treat extreme pain caused by brain and nerve disorders.

DBS is a highly effective treatment for a lot of patients suffering from TRD, and it can be combined with other treatments such as ECT. It is important to remember that not all patients will benefit from DBS. Some patients do not experience any symptom improvement, and others may even have worsening of their depression. This lack of response is likely to be due to a mix of factors, such as factors that are related to patients such as personality traits or psychiatric comorbidity, and factors that affect the clinical, such as inaccurate diagnosis or suboptimal DBS treatment.

Researchers used a machine-learning algorithm to classify the changes in LFPs recorded during intraoperative DBS. The results indicated that an improvement in depression symptoms was correlated with changes in beta power. These results suggest DBS can be used to predict the severity of antidepressant effects. However further research is required to confirm this theory.

While DBS is a proven treatment for movement disorders and a growing number of psychiatric conditions but it is not widely recognized as a successful depression treatment. The FDA has approved DBS to decrease seizures in people with difficult-to-treat epilepsy. Research is currently being conducted to determine whether DBS is effective in treating depression.

Before undergoing DBS, you should discuss your options with a psychiatrist or neurologist. The neurologist will examine you and recommends the most appropriate treatment for you. He or she will also inform you about the potential risks and benefits of DBS. It is also important to inquire about any preparations or tests you may need to do prior to the procedure. It is likely that you will require an imaging test, blood test and other tests prior to the procedure.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Cognitive behavioral therapy is among the most popular types of psychotherapy that has been found to be effective in a variety of different outcomes studies. It is usually employed as a stand-alone treatment, but it may be combined with medications in certain instances. CBT is a kind of psychotherapy which helps you change negative thoughts and behavior contributing to depression. It is based upon the idea that the way you think about and react to situations is more important than the issue itself. It is a highly active form of psychotherapy that places an emphasis on problem-solving and identifying and changing maladaptive thinking patterns.

The goal of CBT is to assist you in becoming your own therapist by helping you understand and change the way you think and behave. It employs exercises and home sessions as well as outside of sessions to teach new skills. CBT focuses on present-day issues and problems, not previous experiences and their root causes. However, it does take some information about your history to understand and address problems in the present.

CBT is typically a short-term therapy, lasting between 6-20 sessions. It is an empirically-based therapy, and its duration is determined by whether you meet the goals you established at the beginning of the therapy. It is an active therapy and requires a strong level of commitment and effort on your part.

Other cognitive behavioral therapies could be helpful for you. They include acceptance and commitment therapy that teaches you how depression is treated to engage in positive behavior even when you are struggling with negative thoughts or emotions; dialectical behavior therapy that addresses chronic suicidal thinking and self-injury, and interpersonal psychotherapy which is aimed to resolve relationship problems which are contributing to your depression.

There are a lot of exciting new treatments in the pipeline which promise to revolutionize treatment for people with depression. Certain treatments are available. For instance, deep brain stimulation. A surgeon implants electrodes in your brain to send zaps that alter the electrical activity that triggers your symptoms. However, many other advancements are still in the development phase like personalized medication for depression treatment Goals that may be able to eliminate the trial and error process of finding what works best for you.