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CenterPointe HospitalOffers rTMS Therapy:

A New Hope for PatientsDiagnosed with Depression

By Satish R. Kulkarni, MD

DEPRESSION RATES in the United States (9 percent of adult Americans) and

worldwide are increasing, it’s a certainty that you know someone — or many individuals — diagnosed with clinical depression. Many who seek medical treatment are helped by today’s wide array of antidepressant medications, but those who experience minimal relief with medications find the side effects too problematic to continue pharmacological treatment. Unfortunately, an estimated 25 percent experience no symptomatic relief, despite trying multiple medications. For those who have unsuccessfully battled depression while being treated with the most commonly prescribed medications, CenterPointe Hospital offers hope in a noninvasive, advanced technology that may provide relief for individuals whose depression has not yet been effectively treated.

Transcranial MagneticStimulations (rTMS) rTMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain and improve symptoms of depression. As an area leader in behavioral health treatments and services, CenterPointe Hospital provides rTMS therapy to its continuum of treatment options for depression. The FDA-approved therapy is designed to help depressed individuals who have not achieved relief thru pharmacotherapy return to their routine

activities and feel like themselves again. In some cases, individuals achieve full remission from their symptoms. Since CenterPointe initiated the therapy in October 2014, providers have observed marked improvement in more than 66 percent of their patients and report that nearly half — 44 percent — have achieved remission.

Case Study As one of CenterPointe’s first patients approved for treatment, Anna (not the patient’s real name) found rTMS to be a near-miracle. Profoundly depressed, she had not worked for nearly a year and was unable to care for her children. She described her life as “living from nap to nap.” rTMS was the last-hope attempt to regain her mental health after unsuccessful treatment with antidepressant medication. Anna completed the full course of therapy and was able to return to work part time by the end of the six-week treatment plan. Nearly eight months later, she remains in remission from her depression. “When I came to CenterPointe for rTMS, I thought I would never get better,” she says. “At the conclusion of rTMS therapy, my depression was completely gone. I feel like I came out of a bubble and into an open space, where I could finally make decisions again.”

The Therapeutic Mechanism rTMS therapy targets the area of the brain rendered underactive by

depression. Highly focused magnetic pulses pass painlessly through the skull and into the brain, non-invasively stimulating the target area. The technology used in rTMS therapy is similar to MRI and has a long, documented history supporting its safety and use. During the four-to six-week treatment course, patients receive daily outpatient care in the comfort of a physician’s office, where each treatment lasts approximately 40 minutes. During therapy, the individual is alert and able to resume normal activities immediately afterward. rTMS Therapy is covered by some commercial insurance plans and should be discussed with a physician. CenterPointe Hospital provides evaluation and screening for individuals who are not currently being treated by a physician or those referred for rTMS therapy by a medical professional.

For a free consultation, more information or a referral, call CenterPointe’s referral line at 314-210-7508. Satish R. Kulkarni, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice with PsychCare Consultants and also serves as Medical Director of the Progressive Partial Hospitalization Program. He provides rTMS therapy at CenterPointe Hospital’s St. Charles location. Dr. Kulkarni has completed the clinical training program and is authorized to provide rTMS therapy.