[Magnetic brain stimulation in treatment of depression: the search for effective parameters of stimulation]

Transcranial magnetic stimulation seems to evoke an antidepressant effect similar to that of electroshocks. This effect, however, is not accompanied by convulsions. This technique may be regarded as an alternative method of treatment of depression. It may prove as effective as electroshock treatment, but induce no negative phenomena connected with electro-convulsive treatment. Effectiveness of magnetic stimulation depends on selection of physical parameters of the applied magnetic field. In our model the optimum parameters of transcranial stimulation are: magnetic field induction B < or = 2 T stimulation frequency f [symbol: see text]¿50-100 Hz¿ time of single impulse twide [symbol: see text]¿0,1-1 ms¿ time of impulse rise trise [symbol: see text]¿(10)50-200 microseconds¿ time of impulse decline tdecline [symbol: see text]¿(100)200-1000 microseconds¿ total stimulation time ttotal > or = 1 min repetition rate repetition rate = 8-12