Doctors will most commonly prescribe medications to treat neurological disorders, but if medications loose their effect or if they are unable to cross the protective barriers to reach the brain, then medications become a useless treatment. When this does occur, health care professionals can now use two new techniques as treatments: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to treat neurological and/or psychological disorders.
TMS is a non-invasive and painless treatment that involves the production of a magnetic field in a magnetic stimulator (or capacitor) by creating an electrical current through the magnetic coil that is composed of wire. Rapid changes in the magnetic field can induce strong enough currents in the form of single or repetitive pulsed electrical currents. The electrical current that was created in the magnetic stimulator penetrates through the skull and is transferred to deep tissue in the brain. Deep penetration of brain tissue triggers nerve impulses by temporarily depolarizing the nervous system, and allows new neurological pathways to form, while promoting increased brain plasticity (Nollet et al., 2003). Nollet et al., (2003) demonstrated that 500J of energy is stored in the magnetic stimulator in the form of electrostatic charge and is transferred to the magnetic coil, where it converts electrostatic energy into magnetic energy in 100μs, the output of the magnetic stimulator averages 3 MegaWatts. The rapid energy transfer builds up as a magnetic field which induces currents in the tissue that is near the area of stimulation.
On the other hand, DBS is an invasive treatment that involves the implantation of very thin wire with four electrodes into the brain without damaging brain tissue; a kind of brain pacemaker, called a pulse generator, is also implanted in the chest, and delivers continuous stimulation to the brain that is self regulated with a device (Gang, et al., 2005). DBS is most commonly used to treat movement disorders (such as Parkinson's disease) which are a sub-classification of neurological disorders, but more research is currently being done on the application of DBS to other types of neurological illnesses and psychiatric disorders. Electrodes are usually implanted in brain regions at the thalamus, basal ganglia, or the subthalamic nucleus and delivers pulses of electrical energy that are sent through a wire from the pulse generator. The delivery of electrical stimulation can be adjusted to regulate and/or activate neuronal pathways that have been deactivated or that function abnormally by directly stimulating the release of calcium. The electrical stimulation delivered to the brain by the pacemaker can be easily disrupted by electrical and magnetic energy within the environment (Okun, et al., 2014).
TMS is a non-invasive and painless treatment that involves the production of a magnetic field in a magnetic stimulator (or capacitor) by creating an electrical current through the magnetic coil that is composed of wire. Rapid changes in the magnetic field can induce strong enough currents in the form of single or repetitive pulsed electrical currents. The electrical current that was created in the magnetic stimulator penetrates through the skull and is transferred to deep tissue in the brain. Deep penetration of brain tissue triggers nerve impulses by temporarily depolarizing the nervous system, and allows new neurological pathways to form, while promoting increased brain plasticity (Nollet et al., 2003). Nollet et al., (2003) demonstrated that 500J of energy is stored in the magnetic stimulator in the form of electrostatic charge and is transferred to the magnetic coil, where it converts electrostatic energy into magnetic energy in 100μs, the output of the magnetic stimulator averages 3 MegaWatts. The rapid energy transfer builds up as a magnetic field which induces currents in the tissue that is near the area of stimulation.
On the other hand, DBS is an invasive treatment that involves the implantation of very thin wire with four electrodes into the brain without damaging brain tissue; a kind of brain pacemaker, called a pulse generator, is also implanted in the chest, and delivers continuous stimulation to the brain that is self regulated with a device (Gang, et al., 2005). DBS is most commonly used to treat movement disorders (such as Parkinson's disease) which are a sub-classification of neurological disorders, but more research is currently being done on the application of DBS to other types of neurological illnesses and psychiatric disorders. Electrodes are usually implanted in brain regions at the thalamus, basal ganglia, or the subthalamic nucleus and delivers pulses of electrical energy that are sent through a wire from the pulse generator. The delivery of electrical stimulation can be adjusted to regulate and/or activate neuronal pathways that have been deactivated or that function abnormally by directly stimulating the release of calcium. The electrical stimulation delivered to the brain by the pacemaker can be easily disrupted by electrical and magnetic energy within the environment (Okun, et al., 2014).
Gang, L., Chao, Y., Ling, L., & Lu, S. (2005). Uncovering the mechanism(s) of deep brain stimulation. J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 13, 336-344. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/13/1/078/pdf
Nollet, H., Ham, L., Deprez, P., & Vanderstraeten, G. (2003). Transcranial magnetic stimulation: Review of the technique, basic principles and applications. The Veterinary Journal, 166(1), 28-42. Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://www.researchgate.net/publication/10724301_Transcranial_magnetic_stimulation_review_of_the_technique_basic_principles_and_applications._Vet_J
Okun, M.S., Zeilman, R.P. (2014). Parkinson’s Disease Deep Brain Stimulation: A Practical Guide for Patients and Families. The National Parkinson Foundation. Retieved November 29, 2015, from http://www.parkinson.org/sites/default/files/Guide_to_DBS_Stimulation_Therapy.pdf
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