W. Scott West, MD, was a pioneer in April 2010. That’s when the Nashville psychiatrist was the first in Tennessee to offer NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy® for the treatment of depression. More than a year later, his decision has been proven sound. West has provided more than 300 NeuroStar sessions. While all of his patients have indicated some benefit from the treatment, he said 80 percent of patients have demonstrated remission of symptoms.
NeuroStar is a treatment option for patients who fail to receive adequate benefit from antidepressant medication. The efficacy of NeuroStar therapy was also confirmed in an independent study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. In addition, the American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines now include transcranial magnetic stimulation as a treatment option following failure of traditional initial treatment for depressed patients. The therapy works by delivering focused MRI-strength magnetic pulses to noninvasively stimulate the left prefrontal cortex of the brain. Patients don’t require anesthesia or sedation and remain awake and alert. A 37-minute outpatient procedure is typically administered five days a week for four to six weeks. Today, seven providers offer the NeuroStar therapy in Tennessee.
Source: Nashville Medical News
