While medications and psychotherapy are pillars of psychiatric care, they are being joined by modern neuromodulation therapies. These treatments use electrical, magnetic, or other kinds of energy to stimulate brain tissue. An important 21st century neuromodulation technique is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS uses strong, focal magnetic pulses to stimulate specific brain networks, to induce neuroplastic changes that lead to symptom relief, relying on the neuroscience principle that "neurons that fire together, wire together." As a targeted brain treatment, it does not have the systemic side effects of medication, and most patients' response is durable. The FDA has permitted its use for over a decade, yet it remains relatively underutilized. This webinar will review the mechanism of action of TMS, principles of administration, the evidence of efficacy and safety, how to select patients for TMS, and areas where research may soon lead to new and expanded clinical uses.
Learning Objectives
- Describe what is meant by transcranial magnetic stimulation as a medical treatment for depression and other conditions.
- Identify individuals who have a condition for which TMS is an evidence-based practice.
- Educate patients and colleagues about the differences between TMS and other kinds of treatments that use electric or magnetic energy.
Target Audience
Psychiatrist, Physician (non-psychiatrist)
Instructional Level
Introductory; Intermediate
Estimated Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1.0 hours
Program Start Date: October 10, 2019
Program End Date: October 10, 2022
How to Earn Credit
Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ or a certificate of participation may do so by completing all sections of the course, including the evaluation. A multiple choice quiz is provided based on the content. A passing score of 75% must be achieved. Retakes are available for the test. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned.
Continuing Education Credit
Physicians
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The APA designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Faculty and Planner Disclosures
Presenter/Planner
- Ian A. Cook, MD, Los Angeles TMS Institute, Inc. Disclosure: Stock and Employee - HeartCloud Inc., BrainCloud Corporation, NeuroSigma Inc.; Grant/Research - NIH.
Planners
- Tristan Gorrindo, MD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
- Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
Reviewers
- John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 9/15/22)
- Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Brister has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 10/23/22)
Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities
The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.
Technical Requirements
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:
- The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
- Internet Explorer 11+
This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration:
- Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements:
- Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
- Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact SMIAdviserHelp@psych.org for technical assistance