evolve-brain-health

Which Type of TMS is Best for You? rTMS vs Deep TMS vs Accelerated TMS

tknightly@evolvebrainhealth.com (Thomas Knightley) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 23:54:49 GMT

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an FDA-approved cutting-edge mental health treatment that has seen many patients with depressive or obsessive-compulsive symptoms find relief (Iglesias, 2020). This alleviation of symptoms allows individuals to regain enjoyment in their everyday activities and enhance their quality of life.

TMS uses a magnetic coil to stimulate brain cells via an electromagnetic field with the aim of restoring healthy brain activity in regions that are associated with mental health symptoms specific to the patient (Siebner et al., 2022).

As is the case with many other forms of mental health treatment, there are multiple types of TMS treatments that offer various benefits. These include repetitive TMS (rTMS), deep TMS, accelerated TMS, and neuronavigation-guided TMS.

At Evolve Brain Health, we’re dedicated to guiding you through the complexities of TMS to help you make the best decision for your unique needs.

Not sure if TMS is right for you? Take the quiz →

rTMS

At Evolve Brain Health, we’re dedicated to guiding you through the complexities of TMS to help you make the best decision for your unique needs.

Deep TMS

Deep TMS is a type of rTMS that uses more advanced technology. Original TMS machines use a figure-of-8 coil which limits stimulation to more superficial layers of the brain. However, more modern designs implement a H-coil which allows for deeper regions of the brain to be stimulated. This can be beneficial as critical areas can be situated further below the surface of the cortex and H-coils may more accurately target the neurons, thus potentially leading to stronger outcomes (Levkovitz et al., 2015).

Similar to rTMS, a typical treatment protocol involves a 20-minute session five days per week over 4 to 6 weeks.

Accelerated TMS

This is an alteration in the schedule of TMS sessions as well as the technology used to deliver the electromagnetic pulses. It typically utilizes the H-coil to stimulate deep areas of the brain efficiently.

This protocol spans a week of treatment with 10 sessions per day, including breaks in between each session which allows for more rapid relief to be achieved. It may be better suited to individuals who are able to relieve themselves from everyday responsibilities for full-length days over a single week, compared to shorter periods per day over several weeks.

At Evolve Brain Health, we implement Brainsway H-coil to conduct the accelerated TMS protocol.

Neuronavigation-Guided TMS

Neuronavigation is an additional feature that can be implemented with various TMS protocols to provide added benefits.

Traditionally, the most common approach to identifying the area of stimulation was by locating a specific point on the skull and estimating the target location by measuring 5 cm from a point of reference. This was prone to inaccuracy due to the complexity of the brain compounded by individual differences. The result of stimulating regions that are, in reality, not the target region, is reduced effectiveness in treatment (Caulfield et al., 2022).

With neuronavigation, individual brains can be mapped to identify the location of specific neural structures. This allows for precise stimulation of intended regions as per an individual’s treatment plan and results in the effective reduction of mental health symptoms to allow patients to improve their quality of life and regain control of their mental health.

Which Type of TMS is Best?

Choosing a TMS treatment that is best for you may seem overwhelming. Here are some key factors to consider:

Condition Severity : Patients with treatment-resistant depression may benefit from dTMS or accelerated TMS as more accurate brain stimulation and faster relief can be achieved.

Lifestyle Needs : Those seeking gaster results may prefer accelerated TMS

Precision of Stimulation : Neuronavigation-guided TMS is an excellent option for complex conditions or individuals requiring highly targeted treatments.

Why Choose Evolve Brain Health?

At Evolve Brain Health, we provide a variety of TMS options to suit individual patients’ needs. We utilize BrainsWay’s Deep TMS system and neuronavigation-guided TMS for standard deep TMS protocols and accelerated TMS protocols.

We prioritize patient-centered care, meaning every treatment plan is customized to your unique goals, combining cutting-edge science with compassionate care. Our free consultations allow you to explore your options with us and collaborate in the decision-making process for the best TMS type for your needs.

Take the First Step Today

Evolve Brain Health is committed to supporting you on your path toward better mental health. TMS may be the transformative treatment you are seeking. Contact Evolve Brain Health to schedule your free consultation!

Not Sure Which Treatment Is Right?

Take our quick quiz to get personalized recommendations based on your needs.

Not Sure Which Treatment Is Right?

Take our quick quiz to get personalized recommendations based on your needs.

How to Choose the Right TMS Therapy Clinic in Connecticut

tknightly@evolvebrainhealth.com (Thomas Knightley) — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 22:11:50 GMT

If you are reading this article, you likely reside in Connecticut and are seeking a solution for difficult-to-treat mental health symptoms. Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders Americans face. It can affect people’s lives in many different ways but is strongly characterized by low mood, a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, and a change in biological factors, including appetite, weight, and sleeping patterns.

Why TMS?

For many, symptoms may not be treatable with psychotherapy and antidepressants which are most frequently relied on for mental health treatment. This has inspired us to provide novel therapies to overcome this barrier to mental healthcare, for instance, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) . TMS is a brain stimulation technique that generates an electromagnetic field to restore healthy brain activity in regions specific to a given mental health disorder symptomology. Common patterns treated are depressive symptoms and obsessive, compulsive symptoms.

Not sure if TMS is right for you? Take the quiz →

TMS has a range of benefits and evidence has demonstrated a 70% response rate in individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Patients may find TMS to be favorable as it has minimal side effects. Although patients may experience discomfort on the scalp where stimulation is localized, this generally subsides after a few sessions.

Key Considerations

In Connecticut, where access to cutting-edge mental health treatments like TMS is growing, finding the right clinic can make all the difference in achieving positive outcomes. To select your ideal clinic, these are key considerations to be made:

Experience and expertise: Knowing the medical clinicians at your clinic are highly qualified and dedicated to their work is critical to gaining a sense of quality of care. Dr Thomas Knightly is our trusted founder. He is part of the Brain Stimulation Lab at Stanford University. His active involvement in TMS research assures that we prioritize evidence-based practice. We are committed to translating scientific discoveries into clinical practice to ensure you are receiving the best possible care according to scientific standards.

Technology : Different types of technology are used for TMS. Specifically shaped coils can generate electromagnetic fields with a varying range of stimulation. For instance, 8-shaped coils are limited to stimulating areas closer to the surface of the brain. However, H-coils allow for brain stimulation in deeper areas of the brain. Greater precision can be achieved with H-coils and can increase the effectiveness of TMS treatment. At Evolve Brain Health, we use the BrainsWay TMS machine, which is designed with a H-coil. This is important when treating depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as the critical regions lie deep beneath the surface.

Customized treatment plans : Daily activities and lifestyle can be a determining factor for preferred treatment options. It is unavoidable that TMS treatment requires a short-term interruption in daily routines over the course of several weeks of treatment. Some clinics offer accelerated TMS as well as standard TMS. Accelerated TMS requires greater daily time commitment over 5 days, as opposed to a commitment of 1 session a week over 6 to 8 weeks as required for standard TMS. At Evolve Brain Health , you have the option to choose which schedule is suitable for you.

Comprehensive care : More often than not, people seek psychotherapy or medication before alternative options, such as TMS. Although not everyone obtains their desired results, some patients prefer to continue their existing care in addition to trialing new treatments. It may be important to you to attend a clinic where TMS, psychotherapy, and medication are offered. Combination therapy is an available option at Evolve Brain Health. We also offer Spravato treatment, which may also be used in addition to other therapies. We wish to ensure all of our patients’ needs are met and customized care plans can be designed to best support them on their mental health journey.

Not Sure Which Treatment Is Right?

Take our quick quiz to get personalized recommendations based on your needs.

Not Sure Which Treatment Is Right?

Take our quick quiz to get personalized recommendations based on your needs.