Category Archives: ANC Diaries

  DEPRESSION: AN OVERVIEW FROM HISTORICAL ASPECTS TO CURRENT DAY PRACTICES Introduction  WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.1 It implies the need of taking care of mental health needs to build a healthy globe. A recent meta-analysis estimated that […]

The 39th Annual Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society Tamil Nādu Chapter was conducted in the city of Coimbatore during 27-28 July, 2024. On the second day of the conference, two parallel workshops, one on Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) and another one on Borderline Personality Disorder: Enhancing Understanding and Practical Strategies – were organized.

The standard treatment regimen for OCD involves a high frequency stimulation (HFS) with 20 Hz. In addition, there is also a possibility of using a combination of 5 Hz and 50 Hz frequencies. This combination treatment is called Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (ITBS).

A 33-year male presented with moderate depression (measured on HAMD-17 scale as 16) since 6-7 years. He has been under NO medical treatment. History revealed that two of his sisters and even their father was suffering from depression. The family wanted to try dTMS treatment.

A girl in her late adolescence presented with thought broadcasting and blunted affect. She has been under treatment for Schizophrenia since 5 years. She was brought with a full-blown psychosis with agitated mood. Coincidentally, the family is all geared up for a marriage in the coming one week. The situation had put her father and the doctor in a dilemma whether to increase the dosage of the medication (which could possibly sedate her) or take her to ECT (electro-convulsive therapy). Either of them would not only raise curiosity in the relatives about the girl’s condition but also deprive the girl of the happiness of taking part in her sister’s marriage.

Depression is a disorder of mood. Clinically presented as unipolar depression or bipolar disorder with depressive episode, it is a disabling condition that makes the patient hopeless throwing him/her into blankness. Along with the medication given by the psychiatrist, neuromodulation, especially in the form of dTMS is a good treatment choice in depression.