Depression can now be treated through brain stimulation, study finds

For those with severe depression, relief could soon be just an MRI away, Nature Medicine cited in a study conducted by researchers at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

The researchers used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for a total of 20 sessions to treat 255 individuals with treatment-resistant depression in a significant clinical trial.

According to the study's results, the patients saw "substantial improvements" in their quality of life and symptoms for at least six months following the surgery, Fox News reported.

The medication was effective in more than two-thirds of the subjects, with a third reporting a 50% reduction in symptoms. For one-fifth of the patients, their depression did not return.

Lead researcher Richard Morriss, professor of psychiatry at the University of Nottingham, mentioned that the researchers customised the magnetic stimulation spot for every patient based on their MRI scan.

Morriss reported that 92% of research participants finished the whole course of therapy with just "minor side effects" lasting less than a day.

Although the MRI-guided treatment costs about 25% more than the traditional TMS treatments, Morris said the benefits last longer, "so maybe the person only needs one or at the most two courses of treatment per year."

"Notably, these therapies can be expensive and somewhat time-consuming; however, the benefits to people who have suffered for years are quite remarkable," he stated.

In 2023, 29% of Americans stated they had received a diagnosis of depression at some point in their lives, and 17.8% indicated they were still dealing with the condition.