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At our Walpole MA location, we provide TMS Therapy.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an effective, NON-Invasive alternative for the large number of patients not responding to medication. TMS does not require anesthesia – and is not to be confused with ECT (Electro Convulsive Therapy).


The TMS system delivers magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in the part of the brain controlling the mood. The rapid change in the magnetic field induces a current, and if the current induced is of sufficient amplitude and duration, it will excite neurons.


Walpole TMS provides TMS Therapy using a MagVenture Magnetic Stimulation solution. It uses a series of repetitive, brief and highly focused magnetic pulses, used to stimulate specific neurons in the brain. TMS is an effective, non-invasive, outpatient treatment with few known adverse effects and no systemic side effects. TMS is currently used in the treatment of depression and is prescribed when antidepressant medications have failed. 


When a nerve cell ‘fires’, an electrical impulse travels along its length. It communicates with other nerve cells by releasing neurotransmitters, which create an electrical impulse in other cells. In depressed patients, the electrical activity in certain areas of the brain have been shown to be reduced. TMS uses a focused electromagnetic coil, to rapidly pulse a magnetic field to the targeted area of the brain. The magnetic pulses induce an electrical current in the brain, stimulating the nerve cells, increasing the brain activity to normal levels.


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What is transcranial magnetic stimulation?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is a noninvasive form of brain stimulation. TMS devices operate completely outside of the body and affect central nervous system activity by applying powerful magnetic fields to specific areas of the brain that we know are involved in depression. TMS doesn’t require anesthesia and it is generally exceptionally well tolerated as compared to the side effects often seen with medications and ECT. The most common side effect is headache during or after treatment. A rare but serious side effect is seizures, and TMS may not be appropriate for people at high risk such as those with epilepsy, a history of head injury, or other serious neurologic issues.

Does TMS work? 

Approximately 50% to 60% of people with depression who have tried and failed to receive benefit from medications experience a clinically meaningful response with TMS. About one-third of these individuals experience a full remission, meaning that their symptoms go away completely. It is important to acknowledge that these results, while encouraging, are not permanent. Like most other treatments for mood disorders, there is a high recurrence rate. However, most TMS patients feel better for many months after treatment stops, with the average length of response being a little more than a year. Some will opt to come back for subsequent rounds of treatment. For individuals who do not respond to TMS, ECT may still be effective and is often worth considering.

Can TMS help with other conditions?

TMS is being studied extensively across disorders and even disciplines with the hope that it will evolve into new treatments for neurological disorders, pain management, and physical rehabilitation in addition to psychiatry. There are currently large clinical trials looking at the effectiveness of TMS in conditions such as pediatric depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, smoking cessation, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Please note this article was 

POSTED FEBRUARY 23, 2018, 6:30 AM

by Adam P. Stern, MDAdam P. Stern, MD

Harvard Health Blog


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