TMS – A Rich Past and Bright Future
Dr. Rayner graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine and completed his residency training in adult psychiatry at the University of Nevada, Reno. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and the clinical TMS society. He specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders,... more
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation technique that involves the use of magnetic fields to stimulate specific regions of the brain. TMS was first developed in the 1980s, and since then it has become an important tool in neuroscience research, as well as a potential treatment for a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
History of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
The first TMS device was developed by Anthony Barker and colleagues at the University of Sheffield in the UK in the late 1980s. The original device used a single magnetic coil to generate a brief, high-intensity magnetic field that could stimulate the brain through the skull. Over the next decade, researchers developed more advanced TMS devices with improved precision and control over the location and intensity of stimulation.
In the 1990s and 2000s, TMS was primarily used as a research tool to study brain function and connectivity. Researchers used TMS to temporarily disrupt or enhance specific brain regions and then measured the effects on cognitive and motor tasks. TMS was also used to map the functional connectivity between different brain regions, by stimulating one area of the brain and measuring the resulting activity in other areas.
In recent years, TMS has become an increasingly popular treatment for a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. The first TMS treatment for depression was approved by the FDA in 2008, and since then TMS has been used to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety, OCD, and PTSD.
Future Directions of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
As TMS technology continues to improve, researchers are exploring new applications for the technique. One promising area of research is the use of TMS to treat chronic pain. Studies have shown that TMS can be an effective treatment for certain types of chronic pain, such as neuropathic pain, by modulating the activity of the pain-processing regions of the brain.
Another potential application of TMS is in the treatment of addiction. Preliminary studies have shown that TMS may be able to reduce drug cravings and increase abstinence rates in individuals with substance use disorders. TMS may also be able to target specific circuits in the brain that are involved in addiction, allowing for more targeted and effective treatment.
Overall, the history of TMS has been one of rapid development and innovation, from the first crude devices of the 1980s to the advanced systems used today. As TMS technology continues to improve, the potential applications of this powerful technique are only beginning to be explored.
References:
Barker, A. T., Jalinous, R., & Freeston, I. L. (1985). Non-invasive magnetic stimulation of human motor cortex. The Lancet, 325(8437), 1106-1107.
Pascual-Leone, A., Walsh, V., & Rothwell, J. (2000). Transcranial magnetic stimulation in cognitive neuroscience--virtual lesion, chronometry, and functional connectivity. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 10(2), 232-237.
George, M. S., Lisanby, S. H., Avery, D., McDonald, W. M., Durkalski, V., Pavlicova, M., ... & Sackeim, H. A. (2010). Daily left prefrontal transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for major depressive disorder: a sham-controlled randomized trial. Archives of General Psychiatry, 67(5), 507-516.
Lefaucheur, J. P. (2016). Pain and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Revue Neurologique, 172(4), 261-272.
Terraneo, A., Leggio, L. (2020). Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Addiction: A Review of the Literature and Future Perspectives. Brain Sciences, 10(9), 630. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10090630.
If you are interested in learning more about TMS and if it could be helpful for you, make an appointment at Whole Mind by visiting www.wholemindtms.com or calling 801-477-7189.
