Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy is a powerful tool that has quickly gained popularity due to its wide range of uses and noninvasive nature. One of the top uses for TMS therapy is the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Unfortunately, many of these mental illnesses are resistant to first lines of treatment such as medication and therapy. But TMS therapy has been shown to provide breakthroughs for symptoms of mental health conditions and their subsequent treatments. This can be life-changing for those struggling with severe and potentially dangerous mental health symptoms such as frequent panic attacks or even suicidal ideation.
In addition to these symptoms, mental health conditions can also cause issues with cognitive function, which can significantly impact your day-to-day life. So, there’s also potential for TMS therapy to transform how your brain functions on an everyday basis.
At Sydea Medical Practice in Newport Beach, California, our team led by expert psychiatrist Venice Sanchez, MD, is passionate about all the things TMS therapy can do for your mental health, including the improvement of cognition.
This month’s blog explores the connection between mental health and cognitive function and how TMS therapy can improve both.
Cognition, or cognitive function, is a single term used to describe all the skills you need for thinking, processing information, creating memories, learning new skills, staying focused, and perceiving the world around you. However, when you have a mental health condition, it often leads to cognitive impairment or dysfunction.
Throughout your brain, there are small communicators called neurotransmitters, which are responsible for perceiving, interpreting, and relaying information from all around you. But, when you have issues with mental health, these neurotransmitters can become either too active or underactive.
Because of this, you may notice that you have trouble focusing, learning anything new, remembering important information, or processing new information at a reasonable speed. This is sometimes referred to as “brain fog” which is incredibly common with mental health conditions.
TMS therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses electromagnetic pulses from a helmet placed on your head to stimulate or inhibit neurotransmitter activity in your brain. Your brain is electrically active, so the neurotransmitters are very responsive wherever the magnetic pulses are sent.
For example, when you have depression, you typically have a more inactive prefrontal cortex. By targeting that portion of your brain with the magnetic pulses from TMS, neurotransmitter activity can be increased and symptoms decreased.
In addition to mental health condition symptom relief, TMS therapy can also boost cognitive function by:
TMS therapy can do this by creating new neural pathways and connections, making it easier for your brain to quickly and efficiently process, interpret, and assimilate important information.
If you struggle with brain fog, cognitive impairment, or any other symptoms of mental health issues that aren’t responding well to typical treatment, TMS therapy might be right for you. To learn if you might be a candidate for this transformative treatment, schedule a consultation by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.
