Trinitas/St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Network Opens First TMS Treatment Center for Depression

VERONA, NJ — The Trinitas-St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Network, in partnership with HPR Treatment Centers (a division of TMS Centers of America), has opened an office in Verona to offer Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) treatment to individuals with depression.  Located at 25 Pompton Avenue, Verona, the office is one of six eventual treatment locations that will open throughout Northern NJ over the next year.

TMS therapy, a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate the brain, may offer relief to the 15 million Americans with depression who either can’t tolerate, or don’t respond to medication.

Depression is a widespread and often debilitating anomaly. It goes beyond temporary sadness and can last indefinitely, robbing one of quality of life if not rendering people of all ages completely dysfunctional. In fact, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. People with depression often also suffer from anxiety disorders, which are different, but share similar symptoms like insomnia, the inability to concentrate, nervousness, and irritability.

FDA-cleared BrainsWay Deep TMS is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields similar to what is used for an MRI. The treatment has no systemic side effects and requires no hospitalization or anesthesia. To date, the therapy has been proven in more than 60 clinical trials worldwide.

“TMS is indicated for the treatment of adults with major depression who have not responded to at least one antidepressant,” said Dr. Carlos Rueda, Chairman of Psychiatry for the Trinitas-St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Network. “We are excited to bring this therapy option to the residents of New Jersey, offering new hope for a complex condition.”

Half of the 15 million Americans with depression cannot tolerate or do not respond to antidepressant medication. And unlike medication, TMS has no systemic side effects and requires no hospitalization or anesthesia.

“Depression is believed to be caused by electrical dysfunction of one region of the brain, known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex,” adds Dr. Rueda. “Through a highly focused and targeted magnetic stimulation, we’re able to boost the function of the brain in this region, allowing for a remission of the depression.”

Because TMS is a non-drug, non-invasive treatment, patients are awake during the procedure and can get back to daily activities, including driving, immediately following the session.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 631-807-5759 – or visit the HPR Treatment Centers website at http://www.hprtc.com.