Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Positive Results Reported for Deep TMS H System For Depression

Israel's Globes newspaper is reporting that Brainsway Ltd., a company trying to commercialize transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device, is reporting positive outcomes in the first efficacy test on a group of 64 patients with depression. The company believes that these results will allow Brainsway to file for an application for CE Mark from the European Union, and then proceed with similar application with the FDA. We have covered the company's technology about a year ago in this post .

The company thinks that its technology, based on innovative coils, allows deeper brain TMS penetration needed for depression:

Standard TMS coils are limited to activation of only cortical brain regions, up to a depth of about 1.5 cm. Hence when treating depression with a standard TMS system, the limbic system, which is related to mood regulation and is generally deeper than 1.5 cm, is only indirectly affected, through secondary processes involving cortical structures, which are directly activated by TMS and then affect the deeper limbic system structures.

The unique technology of Brainsway Deep TMS System enables direct non-invasive activation of deep brain structures.

Deep TMS is a breakthrough in the search for a non-invasive approach for treating common brain disorders. Deep TMS uses a unique, patented coil design to produce directed electromagnetic fields that can induce excitation or inhibition of neurons deep inside the brain. The treatment is non-invasive, with no significant side effects, no systemic effect (in contrast to drugs), and no need of hospitalization or anesthesia.

Brainsway homepage...

Flashbacks: Deep TMS Technology by Brainsway ; Medgadget's transcranial magnetic stimulation archive...

Add this article to: digg StumbleUpon Facebook