Definition: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS, is a non-invasive outpatient procedure in which a device is used to generate short pulses of magnetic fields in order to produce an electric current in the brain, thereby stimulating cells in an area of the brain believed to function abnormally in those with depression. The stimulation of these cells is believed to lead to changes within the brain that alleviate depression. TMS may be used in patients who have not responded adequately to a trial of antidepressants or who suffer from unbearable side effects when using antidepressants.
Also Known As: TMS
