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Why it's done
By Mayo Clinic staffDepression is usually a treatable condition. Often, standard treatment with antidepressant medications, psychotherapy or electroconvulsive therapy can help improve even severe cases of depression.
An option when standard approaches haven't worked
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is usually used when standard depression treatments don't work. In the United States, it's not recommended as the first treatment option.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is not widely available yet in the United States, but more physicians and medical centers are beginning to use it. In other countries where transcranial magnetic stimulation is used to treat depression, it's typically used only for people with depression that hasn't improved with standard treatments or for those who may be considering electroconvulsive therapy but want an alternative.
How it works
It's not clear precisely how transcranial magnetic stimulation may help relieve symptoms of depression. Networks of brain regions may play a role in mood regulation. Stimulating the brain in these regions may change how the brain functions and may lead to mood improvement.
During transcranial magnetic stimulation, the magnetic pulses create painless electrical currents in your brain. These currents stimulate nerve cells in the region of your brain involved in mood regulation and depression. In some types of transcranial magnetic stimulation, brain activity is suppressed. In other types, brain activity is increased.
Researchers are still trying to determine the best dosage of stimulation and the best area of the brain to stimulate. The amount of stimulation can be changed depending on your symptoms and side effects.
