NeuroStar by Neuronetics
Neuronetics is a publicly traded company based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, incorporated since 2003. Their mission is to invent and build devices that can be used for psychiatric treatments, particularly those that are non-invasive and targeted toward people with disorders that have proven treatment resistant.
The treatments supported by the work of Neuronetics use the concept of neuromodulation, which involves stimulating certain areas of the brain that show abnormal activity to improve mood and function.
In October 2008, Neuronetics became the “first and only Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval
for the clinical treatment of a specific form of medication-refractory depression using a TMS Therapy
device.”
The Neuronetics NeuroStar TMS equipment we use is a Class 2 medical device that emits brief, rapidly alternating magnetic pulses. The effects of the pulses are concentrated on certain carefully chosen areas of the brain through the scalp.
It was a long journey between the concept and the first use on a patient. The FDA and the medical community in general need a lot of convincing to accept a treatment as being safe for the public or a carefully controlled demographic. Check out one prominent study on the NeuroStar device at this link. 301 patients with major depression that had failed to achieve remission using at least one antidepressant treatment participated in a controlled clinical trial. In this trial, they received either active or fake transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) using an electromagnetic coil that is gently run over the scalp while the patient is awake and responsive. The area of the scalp the coil is placed on includes the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area that contains parts of the brain integral to how we process thoughts and emotion.
The TMS treatment we offer is administered only by prescription and only given by a licensed medical practitioner, whether in an inpatient or outpatient situation. Check out the NeuroStar website for all kinds of information on Neuronetics, the equipment we use, how it works, why we use it, and the testimonials of patients.
For more information about our services, including psychotherapy and metabolic workups, contact us
on our website anytime or call (585) 442-6960.
