Offering hope for depression
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n 2004, Cecelia Hammond retired from the Library of Congress as assistant to the chief of overseas operations, marking a 22-year career that began when she joined the federal government as a payroll clerk. After retirement, she became a full-time caregiver for her elderly mother, who Hammond said was “my whole life.” When her mother died at age 93, things began to go terribly wrong.
Seventy-three patients in their 20s to late 70s have received TMS at Centra Piedmont Psychiatric Center since it was first offered in February 2014 “with a notable improvement in depressive symptoms,” said Michael Judd, MD, boardcertified psychiatrist and medical director. Patients have traveled from as far away as Pearisburg, Cave Spring, Lexington, Bassett and Appomattox for the treatment.
Burdened by grief, Hammond said her “mind wasn’t working,” and it wasn’t long before she lost her house. “Next thing I know I’m homeless,” she said. “I had to get rid of all but one of my pets. I went from my 3,000 square foot home to a tiny apartment. No matter where I turned, nothing was going right. Before I knew it, I was in really bad shape.”
“More than 1.3 million TMS sessions have been administered worldwide,” noted Judd. “Research not connected to TMS has shown that people who suffer from depression have an underactive left frontal cortex. TMS stimulates that region of the brain with targeted electromagnetic pulsations. Theoretically, these pulses stimulate metabolism and increase the brain’s neurotransmitters, thereby helping to alleviate depression.”
Hammond began treatment for depression, but after a half dozen years of therapy, her medication suddenly stopped being effective. “I began spiraling further and further downward, and I was referred for TMS,” said Hammond. “The therapy worked miracles, and today, I feel wonderful.”
Effective treatment for depression TMS — Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation — is a noninvasive, outpatient-based form of brain stimulation approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2008. TMS is recommended for patients suffering from depression who have not achieved satisfactory improvement from antidepressant treatment. MENTAL HEALTH INTAKE & RESOURCE CENTER, 434.200.4444
According to Judd, TMS has resulted in a 68 percent response rate (reduction in depressive symptoms) in his patients and a 45 percent remission rate (returning to a usual level of function in absence of depression). Judd noted that in order to meet the criteria for TMS, patients must have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, be 18 years of age or older and have failed at least one trial with an antidepressant of adequate dose and duration. continued on the back
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