ACH studies teen depression
Posted Sep 25, 2012 1:18 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A new pilot study launching at the Alberta Children’s Hospital could offer hope for teens suffering from depression.
Researchers will be examining the use of non-invasive brain stimulation for treating the issue.
The pilot will use trans cranial magnetic stimulation of the brain to stimulate the frontal lobe, which Dr. Frank McMaster says is the part of the brain that sort of makes the decision to offset negative thoughts in the depressed.
The hope is that the treatment will offer a plan B for those who are unresponsive to anti-depressants.
“In depression, for kids, we really have a plan A. There really isn’t a plan B that there’s a lot of good evidence for. That’s one of the reasons behind this study, is to develop evidence for a new option,” says McMaster.
Dr. McMaster calls depression a major public health problem that’s a major risk factor for suicide.
The study is funded by the Children’s Hospital Aid Society.
