Zapping the Brain to Treat Severe Depression
A new technique let’s us visualize the brain’s responses in real-time
Depression can strike anyone. No matter how successful you are. No matter how rich or famous you are. It doesn’t care if you’re physically healthy or if you’ve never suffered trauma or tragedy.
It might start with apathy and numbness. Then, you begin ruminating more and more. Your brain magnifies your little mistakes, turning them into mountains. You lose your will to get up out of bed in the morning. You stop seeing your friends, you can’t handle going out. Before you know it, depression takes over your life.
Depression affects more than 250 million people worldwide. Despite decades of research, depression is still hard to understand and treat. Many people don’t respond to the first medication they try. If they do, it takes several weeks and unpleasant side effects.
The recent decade brought new treatments to the mainstream. Ketamine received approval for treatment-resistant depression and psilocybin is well on its way. Still, many people experience depression and react to treatments differently.
Even ketamine and psilocybin will face these hurdles and tribulations. After all, there are so many networks and systems in the brain and body that go awry…
