What Is TMS Therapy?

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive procedure that uses focused magnetic pulses to stimulate specific regions of the brain involved in mood regulation.

During a TMS session, a small electromagnetic coil is placed against your scalp near your forehead. The coil delivers painless magnetic pulses that activate nerve cells in the targeted brain region. For depression, TMS typically targets the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area often underactive in people with major depressive disorder.

TMS is FDA-cleared for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder and has shown significant efficacy in clinical trials. Unlike electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), TMS does not require anesthesia and allows patients to resume normal activities immediately after treatment.

A standard TMS course involves 20-36 sessions over 4-6 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 19-37 minutes. Common FDA-cleared TMS devices include NeuroStar, BrainsWay Deep TMS, and MagVenture.