Magnetic seizure therapy
Encyclopedia
Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is an emerging form of electrotherapy
and electrical brain stimulation
(EBS) which may potentially replace electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT) as a safer alternative. It is currently being investigated for the medication of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). MST works by inducing seizure
s via magnetic field
s, in contrast to ECT which does so via direct electric shock
s.
Electrotherapy
Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy as a medical treatment In medicine, the term electrotherapy can apply to a variety of treatments, including the use of electrical devices such as deep brain stimulators for neurological disease. The term has also been applied specifically to the use of...
and electrical brain stimulation
Electrical brain stimulation
Electrical brain stimulation , also referred to as focal brain stimulation , is a form of electrotherapy and technique used in research and clinical neurobiology to stimulate a neuron or neural network in the brain through the direct or indirect excitation of its cell membrane by using an electric...
(EBS) which may potentially replace electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
(ECT) as a safer alternative. It is currently being investigated for the medication of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). MST works by inducing seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
s via magnetic field
Magnetic field
A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude ; as such it is a vector field.Technically, a magnetic field is a pseudo vector;...
s, in contrast to ECT which does so via direct electric shock
Electric shock
Electric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
s.