Noninvasive brain treatment shows promise for depression
A new study from Stanford University published in World Psychiatry suggests that a noninvasive brain treatment can significantly ease severe depression in people who have not responded to standard therapies, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The treatment uses targeted magnetic pulses applied from outside the head, with no surgery or anesthesia. Patients remain awake and sit in a chair while a device placed near the head delivers brief magnetic pulses to specific areas of the brain linked to mood regulation.
Each session lasts only a few minutes, with breaks in between, allowing the brain to rest. In total, the full course is completed in one week.
In the study, about half of the patients who received the real treatment saw their depression lift to mild or minimal levels within a month. By comparison, only about 1 in 5 people who received a placebo version experienced similar relief.
Participants had long lasting depression and had already tried multiple medications without success. The therapy was delivered over 5 days, with several short sessions each day. Doctors reported no serious side effects, and most people tolerated the sessions well.
While the approach is still being studied, experts say the results are encouraging and suggest this method could one day become a practical alternative for people with hard-to-treat depression.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that researchers discovered a nutrient linked to depression.