A CURE FOR DEPRESSION?

THE first Repetitive Tanscranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) clinic in Ireland has opened, offering fresh hope to those with depression.

rTMS, which delivers fast magnetic pulses to the brain through a device held to the head, was approved by NICE in the UK two years ago for the treatment of depression and is fast gaining popularity.

Gerard Barnes, CEO of Smart TMS in Dublin says the clinic has a 70% success rate. ‘About 30% of patients require no further treatment, they are well, while 40% need top-ups,’ he says. ‘About 30% don’t respond at all. We recommend everyone has 15 sessions. If you don’t respond, we stop then.

‘TMS is a powerful treatment that gives great results. It lifts depression, it doesn’t hide it.’ TMS involves 20-minute sessions five times a week for four to six weeks. A magnet is placed on the head in a specific area and the patient feels a tickling sensation. The main sideeffects are scalp irritation and mild headaches that quickly subside. For people with long-term depression who have tried everything from medication to CBT, rTMS offers a safe, noninvasive option. But it doesn’t come cheap, costing €200 per session after a €300 consultation. The clinic is in talks with Irish insurance companies about including TMS on health plans. ‘We are engaging with them,’ says Gerard. ‘There are positive signs.’ Smart TMS also treats patients with other mental health issues, from OCD to drug addiction. For more, see smarttms.ie.