Response:

Depression is a common mental disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, despondency, and a loss of interest in work, life, and social relationships. Currently, primary treatment methods for depression include antidepressant medication and psychotherapy.

If your relative has been treated for depression with medication for three years without improvement, they may be experiencing treatment-resistant depression. This condition occurs when a patient does not respond to treatment despite using at least two different antidepressants at appropriate dosages and durations, as prescribed by a specialist. For an accurate diagnosis of their current condition, you should take your relative for a medical examination so a doctor can assess and provide a specific conclusion.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive method that uses high-intensity magnetic pulses to penetrate the skull, stimulating nerve cells in a targeted brain region. This helps regulate electrical neural activity in areas of the brain associated with emotions and behavior. TMS can serve as an adjunctive treatment for patients with treatment-resistant depression.

_A doctor uses a transcranial magnetic stimulation system to treat a patient. Illustration: Tam Anh General Hospital_

This method offers several advantages: it stimulates neurons in the brain from outside the skull, is non-invasive, and causes no pain. The treatment process is safe, with minimal impact on the central nervous system. Patients do not require hospitalization; each treatment session lasts approximately 30 minutes, after which they can return home and resume normal activities.

The duration of transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment-resistant depression varies depending on the individual case and the severity of the illness. Typically, a course of treatment may last 4-6 weeks, performed 4-5 times per week. However, the actual duration also depends on the patient's specific condition.

Before undergoing TMS for depression, patients need a clinical examination by a doctor and may require several related tests as indicated. Concurrently, a mental health assessment is conducted to determine the patient's depression severity and identify any other neurological issues.

Beyond treatment-resistant depression, transcranial magnetic stimulation is applied to support the treatment of various other conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), headaches, migraines, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), impaired consciousness, and Alzheimer's disease. This technique also aids in functional recovery after a stroke or brain injury, and assists in smoking cessation, nicotine, and alcohol addiction treatment.

Master of Science, Doctor Pham Van Duong

Department of General Internal Medicine

Tam Anh Cau Giay General Clinic