A new way of treating acute patients in hospital settings with the fast-acting antidepressant treatment, TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), has recently gained FDA approval in the United States. The Stanford Accelerated TMS protocol, known as the SAINT protocol, offers a way for patients with chronic depression to gain access to this non-invasive treatment whilst in hospital care.
neurocare’s Dr Trevor Brown speaks with leading Psychiatrist-Neurologist, and Stanford University Assistant Professor, Dr Nolan Williams, who has pioneered the treatment approach in hospitals around the United States. They talk about the advanced delivery method along with its special targeting techniques, and the role this treatment could play in addressing the mental health crisis in the US.
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Trevor and Nolan discuss MRI-guided targeting to improve the response of TMS treatment as well as discussing how problems of treatment accessibility and hospital resources, can be solved with accelerated treatment in a short-term inpatient setting. Nolan also offers insights into the clinical effects of Theta-Burst stimulation in TMS and which patients may be suitable for treatment.
Nolan shares the learnings and history he and his team at Stanford University have made in developing the SAINT protocol over the years and discusses the methods of the SAINT protocol and the connectivity of critical brain networks involved in Depression (i.e. the DLPFC and sgACC).
This interview may interest researchers, scientists, clinicians, and students working or studying in the field of mental healthcare. Although the conversation centers around more scientific concepts, it may also interest those who would like to learn more about the treatment approach of TMS in depression. (Medical interventions such as TMS should first be discussed with your GP.)
If you are a professional interested in training in TMS, register in an online certification or accreditation course on neurocare’s Learning Management System.
For more information about the Neuroscience School of Advanced Studies, visit www.neurosas.org.
Learn more about Dr Nolan Williams and his work at Stanford University.
neurocare brings the world of neuroscience into clinical practice. We educate professionals worldwide in the correct use of TMS, tDCS, Neurofeedback and other emerging techniques, and share the latest knowledge and updates as well as the history of these digital therapeutics. Neuroscientist Dr Trevor Brown, who features on neurocare’s Learning Management System, an online training platform, connects with leading researchers each month as part of a new interview series to discuss present and future clinical applications of neurostimulation techniques (e.g. TMS, tDCS) as well as exploring the use of EEG and Neurofeedback in clinical and research settings.