The History Of TMS Treatment

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy is a highly effective non-drug treatment for depression in which brief magnetic pulses are used to stimulate nerve cells within the brain. Its been in use since 1985, but the pathway toward this revolutionary noninvasive treatment has involved a great deal of time, scientific research, and technological advance. Follow along for a bit of history on how TMS therapy came to be.

1790’s: Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta conduct a number of bioelectricity experiments and discover that nerves carry electrical energy within the nervous system.

1831: Michael Faraday discovers the principles of electromagnetic induction, in which a current is produced by a change in magnetic flux.

1875: David Ferrier experiments with low intensity electrical stimulation to the brain, revealing that the cortex contains a precise map of motor function.

Early 1900’s: Scientists study magnetic stimulation in depth. Many attempts at using electromagnetic induction prove unsuccessful because of the limited technology available for creating magnetic fields suitable for treatment.

1959: Alexander Kolin and his colleagues find that magnetic fields can be used for nerve stimulation and muscle contraction in a frog.

1965: Scientists Bickford and Fremming demonstrate that magnetic fields can be used to stimulate muscles among humans.

1985: Anthony Barker and his colleagues Reza Jalinous and Ian Freeston study the use of magnetic fields to alter the brains electrical signals, and introduce the first TMS device.

1985: Barker, Jalinous, and Freeston perform the first successful transcranial magnetic stimulation as a noninvasive treatment capable of stimulating precise regions of the brain without electrical stimulation or pain. This paved the way for the therapys later use in a range of therapeutic and diagnostic procedures, including depression treatment.

1987: Barker and his colleagues release a set of TMS safety guidelines.

1990’s: Numerous studies indicate that TMS is safe and effective in the treatment of major depression.

2003: Health Canada approves the use of TMS therapy as a depression treatment in Canada.

2008: FDA approves the use of TMS as therapy for the treatment of major depression.

2010: A clinical trial by the The National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates TMS therapy is an effective form of treatment for depression.

2013: A number of U.S. health insurance companies begin to cover TMS as a treatment for depression.

2017: TMS therapy is widely used as a safe and effective treatment of major depression, especially in cases where drugs prove ineffective.

TMS Neuro Institute is one of the earliest adopters in using transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat depression in Los Angeles. To schedule a consultation, call 888.823.4867 or book an appointment online here.