HealthLinksSC.com | 25 compulsive disorder and smoking cessation. Other illnesses that have been treated with brain stimulation include epilepsy, essential tremor, chronic pain, dystonia, Tourette’s syndrome and a number of psychiatric conditions. “Depression is the biggest need,” Dr. Short said. “1 in 5 people are suffering from depression or mood disorder, and we have several brain stimulation methods available for their treatment.” These treatment methods include: • TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION. TMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex, that are commonly underactive in people suffering from a variety of disorders. Patients usually need six weeks of daily individual treatment. Each session lasts 20 minutes, and people start to feel the benefits within a few weeks. • ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY. With roots to the 1930s, ECT involves the controlled induction of a brief seizure through electrical currents applied to the brain. Individual treatment, unique to a patient’s system and level of need, is provided three times a week for three to four weeks. “Patients go home within an hour of ECT treatment,” Dr. Short said. “And about 75% of severely depressed patients find ECT tremendously improves their condition.”
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