dTMS stands for deep transcranial magnetic stimulation. It is very similar to regular TMS, but with one important difference that is indicated in its name: the magnetic pulses go deeper into the brain. The average TMS coil can penetrate a magnetic field about 2 to 2.5cm into the brain. However, dTMS coils can penetrate about 3.5 to 4cm. While a 2cm difference may not seem like much, it is a lot when it comes to the brain.
dTMS is typically a treatment reserved for treating OCD. The reason why we need to go deeper into the brain for treating OCD with TMS is that the circuitry being targeted is just a bit of a deeper target compared to that of depression.
dTMS targets and sends magnetic pulses to the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, which strengthens that part of the brain. The stimulation of the magnetic pulses increases a person’s cognitive control. Our OCD Program Director, Dr. Ryan Vidrine, says that dTMS is basically “bicep curls for your brain circuits that resist obsessions and compulsions.”
Our blog posts cover the benefits of dTMS as well as the ongoing research of its abilities.
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