Welcome to Texas Hill Country TMS

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The very first peripheral magnetic nerve stimulator was built in 1985 by Dr. Anthony Barker.  It was quickly discovered that placing the magnetic coil over the motor cortex of the brain allowed for non-invasive stimulation of upper motor neurons.  Further experiments showed that transcranial magnetic stimulation could produce changes in cortical excitability. With advancement in electronics, repetitive TMS was developed allowing rapid succession of pulses delivered to the brain.  In the mid-1990's and in to the 2000's, correlation between functional imaging studies and ongoing TMS Therapy studies inducing cortical excitability helped define a "depression circuit."  From here researchers investigated the use of TMS specifically for depression treatment using a combination of high frequency and low frequency magnetic stimulation to specific areas of the cortex. 

Evidence for the clinical efficacy of TMS Therapy in the treatment of depression includes more than 30 sham-controlled clinical studies involving thousands of patients.  More and more studies are being performed every year looking at other mental health and cognitive disorders with promising outcomes, but most research on the internet pertains to the FDA approved depression treatment protocol.  There is excellent research on the safety and tolerability of transcranial magnetic stimulation, and what is known as the "durability" of TMS showing continued remission of depression symptoms at 6 months, 1 year and even longer for many individuals.  Research is ongoing regarding maintenance TMS treatment recommendations which are made depending on the individual. There is also a growing body of research showing benefits of combined TMS and different therapeutic modalities such as meditation and guided visualization. 

Research in depression treatment shows TMS Therapy appears to normalize the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (as do medications).  TMS also appears to exert a neuroprotective effect by decreasing oxidative stress and by increasing the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus.  BDNF is like "miracle-grow" for the brain; it stimulates the growth of new neurons.  This neuroplasticity is a common feature of antidepressants and TMS.  In contrast to medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation is delivered at a very different level of brain organization; rather than targeting synaptic proteins, TMS is applied to cortical circuits.  TMS influences neuronal firing rates, firing patterns and other processes at the cellular level. This is important because depression is now understood to be a disorder of connectivity in neural networks linking cortical regions to deeper brain structures.

Contact us and we will be in touch within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation!  If you are a good candidate for TMS therapy and want insurance coverage for the FDA approved depression treatment protocol (and meet your carrier's requirements), we submit a claim to insurance and typically hear back within 1-2 weeks.  If covered by insurance, the TMS protocol is 36 sessions. You would come into the office for your 25-30 minute TMS session 4-5 days per week until you complete the 36 sessions.  If we are doing a private pay option (if insurance does not cover or we are treating "off-label" for disorders other than depression-see "additional services"), we have several options, and treatment is often less than 36 sessions while session length can be as short as 3 minutes depending on the protocol used.  There are no driving restrictions and there is no down-time following your transcranial magnetic stimulation session, so we make the process as efficient as possible around your already busy schedule.