Magnetic stimulation can help people with bipolar disorder, a new clinical trial says The therapy involves short, powerful bursts of magnetic energy delivered to specific regions of the brain Patients had a significant drop in their depression symptoms related to bipolar disorder THURSDAY, July 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Powerful magnetic stimulation can help treat people with bipolar disorder, according to results from a small trial. The therapy, called accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation, involves magnetic waves delivered to specific regions of the brain using an electromagnetic coil placed against the scalp. This form of transcranial magnetic stimulation has already been approved by the U.
S. Food and Drug Administration to treat major depressive disorder, researchers noted. Now, this new study involving 24 depressed patients with treatment-resistant bipolar disorder has shown that the therapy also can ease bipolar symptoms.
The magnetic therapy “offers a new potential therapy for depressed patients with bipolar disorder who may not respond well to drugs or cannot tolerate their side effects while also significantly shortening the treatment window,” said Dr. Yvette Sheline , director of the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. People with bipolar disorder swing between severe depression and manic episodes marked by symptoms like uncontrollable racing thoughts, restlessness or fe.
