Worried about your kin who has gone into a state of depression? Well, believe it or not but now such states of mental despondency and extreme depression can be tweaked and tackled without opening your brain apart. Dr.Walsh a renowned psychologist-turned-neuroscientist of University College London clinic is all geared up for his breakthrough milestone discovery in a genre never before treaded- that of inventing stimulations that could kick-start the so-called complex and cumbersome wires of the brain.
As he explains, the cause behind this utterly bewildering mental illness is reduced activity and stimulation in what we know as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the machine called brain. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is just what Walsh claims could act as the magic wand in order to create the required changes in the brain. And the stimulator has not gone without its quota of tests and examinations either. It has been applauded and approved by umpteen organisations for health and safety including Nice of UK and FDA of the US and has passed the red line to be taken as a veritable instrument to treat depression. It will not hurt you either. You just need to place it near the part of your brain that needs that specific jerk to get re-ignited and it will do its magic by transferring its stimulation without ripping your brain apart.
According to Walsh, the effectiveness of the treatment remains indubitable and it will have no lesser impact on the brain cells than drugs would sans the side effects. The use would be restricted of course and the process quite pricey. For the time being the TMS would be available only at private U.K. clinics as it is the brainchild of a British citizen and the accoutrements are also innately British in nature. Not only depression the instrument has been acclaimed to be efficacious in treating of migraines too.
While talking about his discovery, Walsh does not forget to point out at the other much cheaper version of Neuro transmitter which hitherto had propounded to possess the potential of tweaking and enhancing the performance of athletes. However, Walsh is not too keen on claiming the efficacy of the Transcranial Direct current since he finds the process of sending the transmissions through the electrodes places over the head rather unstable and unsure. The parts of the brain receiving the signals through such transmissions is not clear and hence the very purpose goes futile according to Walsh. The fact that the electrodes are positioned symmetrically is something which has raised myriad questions as to its effectiveness. No wonder Walsh discourages athletes to experiment with the same not being sure what are the side effects of its continual usage for over 50 consecutive days or so.
While we leave the neurotransmitter to do its job of tackling migraines and depressions, there are other aspects as well related to brain stimulation which Walsh dwells on. Take the instance of brain stimulation for enhancing and tickling the cognitive areas for the purpose of education.
Much is being talked about and a lot of mayhem created over the concept of brain apps easing the process of grasping concepts. But yet many scientists find this contradictory. Walsh on the other hand has a different story to support. While he admits that he would never have given in to such claims a few years back the recent discovery by the acclaimed neuroscientists at the University of Geneva Daphne Bavelier and that of Cambridge Barbara Sahakian has made him think of such brain training applications to be potential instruments in boosting such abilities like multitasking. What he stresses on in his studies is indeed worth discussing- that of our minds being dynamic and extremely adaptive which actually makes us capable of doing myriad things simultaneously.
