Neuroplasticity and TMS Therapy: The Potential for Enhanced Learning and Development

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a new treatment technique. It stimulates brain activity using a magnetic field. This technique showed great results in treating depression. It also helps with obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and other brain-related conditions. When patients don’t respond to medications and psychotherapies, TMS is often used as a following treatment. TMS is noninvasive therapy. TMS side effects include dizziness, sleepiness, headaches, or ringing in ears.

How does TMS therapy work?

In the first place, the patient would wear earplugs. This is to reduce the clicking sound of magnetic impulses. The TMS technician or TMS physician would measure the patient’s head to see where to put a magnetic coil. The magnetic coil is usually placed above the front area of the patient’s brain. When treatment begins, the patient would hear a kicking sound as the magnetic impulses are released. He would also feel a knocking sensation beneath the magnetic coil. TMS isn’t an invasive procedure, and the patient is awake during the treatment. It lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. Therapy features 30 sessions, 3 to 5 sessions per week.

How TMS therapy promotes neuroplasticity and enhances learning?

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change and adapt. Scientists thought that neuroplasticity manifests only in childhood. But, in the latter half of the 20th century, they established that our brain changes even during adulthood. Brain networks change when we learn new skills. They also depend on the level of our psychological stress and environmental influences. Many samples of research showed that TMS therapy can promote neuroplasticity. It can also improve global cognitive function and memory.

Scientists explained that prefrontal stimulation leads to enhanced functional connectivity. The connection between the frontal and posterior regions in our brain improves. This refers to individuals with certain neurological conditions. Yet, it makes us think that in near future TMS can be used on healthy people. This information is interesting for students of medicine. The internet is full of informative essay examples to explore further on that topic. TMS therapy can help students to improve their college performance. It boosts their memory and attention. It also enhances focus, dexterity, and reaction time for athletes.

Students and diverse mental disorders

Students suffer from various mental conditions. They include depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and other illnesses. Many students also complain about anxiety issues. That state is usually caused by the multitude of college tasks and research papers. TMS therapy can ease anxiety symptoms. It can cause cranial activity in the prefrontal cortex. Students can also suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. It is caused by unfortunate and horrifying experiences in life. TMS can be of immense help in these situations. This treatment selects the prefrontal cortex, which regulates the sense of fear.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

OCD is a common brain-related condition. Students who suffer from OCD have intrusive thoughts. They also perform compulsive actions. Fear causes these actions and thoughts. If students don't do these actions, they may feel guilt. This condition interferes with students managing their college assignments. That includes writing essays and submitting their work on time. A student with OCD often uses TMS treatments when medications and psychotherapy don’t help. Transcranial magnetic stimulation benefits lay in inhibiting the activity between the prefrontal cortex and striatum. Thus, it reduces OCD symptoms.

Depression

Even 41% of college students in America suffer from depression. This condition has a significant impact on student's academic performance. They can experience a lack of interest, satisfaction, and motivation. They also face a drop in self-confidence, energy reduction, and loss of appetite. Sometimes students dropout of college because of depression. They also have to bear with stigma among college friends and staff. Many students develop resistance to medicaments. The benefits of TMS therapy include two main aspects. Stimulating nerve cells and increasing activity in the prefrontal cortex. This brain area is in charge of depression symptoms.

Nicotine addiction

Some studies show that children and teenagers may feel dependent on nicotine sooner than adults. Nicotine releases dopamine, the so-called ”happy hormone”. Without dopamine students who smoke may feel a lack of motivation and listlessness. That affects their academic performance. Yet, TMS could help reduce nicotine cravings. It promotes the release of dopamine.

Conclusion

TMS therapy is a healthy addition to psychotherapy and medication treatment. Especially for individuals with certain neurological conditions. But, it also helps healthy people to promote neuroplasticity. Students often suffer from various mental disorders. TMS treatment can help them to get over it and improve their performance in college and school. This therapy strengthens their memory, attention, and executive functioning. For student athletes, it is very important to improve focus. They should also boost dexterity and reaction time. TMS therapy can offer all these things.