BENGALURU: In order to help young working professionals who succumb to work pressure in cities like Bengaluru, mindful TMS Neurocare centre was launched on Thursday. The centre, which has one other branch in Delhi, is based in the US and uses an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved device to provide Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to people suffering from depression, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and addiction.

Dr Vijay Mehtry, consultant psychiatrist, mindful TMS Neurocare, said, “TMS is not a popular treatment form in India yet. The process involves placing a magnetic coil over the scalp of the patient which generates magnetic pulses or waves. These stimulate the brain cells or neurons. In patients suffering from depression, the neurons are not functioning at the optimum level but at a decreased one. The waves locate the part of the brain that requires stimulation and in this case, increases brain activity. This reduces symptoms of depression such as lethargy, feeling low, lack of energy, disturbed sleep, etc.”

“Neurotransmitters such as Serotonin, Dopamine and Norepinephrine are secreted in lower levels in those suffering depression. TMS increases secretion levels. In the case of people suffering from OCD, one part of the brain is hypo-active and the other is hyperactive. Magnetic waves stimulate to reduce and decrease the activity accordingly. The frequency, number of waves and brain targets depend on each individual’s diagnosis,” Mehtry explained.

Their treatment is based on the research that depressed patients have less activity in the left part of their brain and those with OCD have the same effect, in addition to, hyperactivity in the right side of the brain. The TMS treatment offered by this centre lasts about 19 minutes and the accelerated version lasts about nine minutes, after which the patients can resume their normal daily activity immediately.

The psychiatric neuro care centre was launched in the city by Rangsons Healthcare, that is a venture of  Mysuru-based NR Group. Pavan Ranga, Managing Director of Rangsons Healthcare, said, “People across the country migrate to Bengaluru for job opportunities. Most of them stay alone and fall prey to work pressure leading to corporate stress. In such circumstances, there is a strong likelihood to sink into depression and other stress-related ailments. Our goal is to create awareness about mental illnesses, help patients to bounce back to their normal self and experience faster recovery.”

TMS has evolved as a non-drug based treatment option or an add-on treatment for depression. The centre claimed that it can help patients overcome addictive disorders, Parkinson’s disease, post-stroke and post-natal depression as well. It has also been effective in people for whom antidepressants may have worked only partially.