Electromagnetic depression treatment nears approval

Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation adds to psychiatry´s arsenal of electronic remedies — A new type of brain stimulation device for combating difficult-to-treat cases of major depressive disorder is likely to break into the large American market soon. Its maker, Jerusalem-based Brainsway, plans to apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to market the device this month. The move follows initial results from a large-scale trial of the system, in which 30.4 percent of treated patients went into remission and 36.7 percent showed significant improvement. Research into devicebased treatments for psychiatric problems has grown rapidly, and if the FDA gives its go-ahead, Brainsway´s system will become the fourth device-based therapy to go on the market since 2005.