Ok... not really at home (Are they really suggesting in the picture that you can do it yourself?). There are now some relatively simple consumer devices on the market that will let your Psychiatrist wave his magic wand over your head, helping to alleviate your depressive symptoms in his office without checking you into a hospital and knocking you out. I'm curious whether they need an MRI before doing this procedure? It doesn't look like it's too precise. In any case... here's the device:
And a description from Engadget:
The devices employ a technique known as transcranial magnetic stimulation, which sends an electromagnetic pulse two to three centimeters into the brain, stimulating prefrontal cortex and paralimbic blood flow, which in turn increases the serotonin output as well as the dopamine and norepinephrine functions. Previously, that technique required patients to go under anesthesia, but these new devices will apparently make it possible for the procedure to be done right in the psychiatrist's office, with the patient able to go home immediately afterward.
Comments
The placebo effect from this must be astounding!
Posted by: Taylor | May 23, 2007 10:13 AM
How are you going to relieve depression if you use it on the parietal lobe? Frontal (or temporal) lobe surely?
Posted by: Magpie | May 27, 2007 6:49 AM
The theory is sound, but the thing shown could not do it. You need to generate magnet pulses of at least 1 Tesla. Even with a plug-in device you'd need a bank of capacitors to build the charge necessary. Plus you need the magnetic coil to be the shape and right diameter (2 circular hoops, the coil being between 3 and 7 cm in diameter).
yeah. If it existed it would look more like a microwave with a wand attached that looked like a figure 8. Not some battery powered toy.
Plus if you get the wrong spot you could increase risk taking behaviour instead of increase serotonin levels. Best to let the professionals do it.
Posted by: sean | November 6, 2009 6:51 PM