Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS / D-TMS)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is one of the magnetic brain stimulation methods offered by the Neuromodulation Unit at NPİSTANBUL Hospital. It acts on selected regions of the brain to support the treatment of psychiatric and neuropsychiatric conditions. At NPİSTANBUL, TMS is planned on a personalised basis and sits within a wider set of tools for assessing and supporting brain function.

The Neuromodulation Unit at NPİSTANBUL

The unit is a multidisciplinary reference centre that brings together advanced technologies for two purposes: evaluating how the brain is working and supporting its function. Specialists from four disciplines plan care jointly:

• Psychiatry
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Psychology

Together they build personalised, comprehensive treatment plans around each patient's clinical needs. Every procedure follows scientific protocols, ethical principles and patient-safety standards.

Who it may help

Neuromodulation is used across several clinical fields. The unit approaches it broadly, covering psychiatric, cognitive and neurological processes. Suitability is always decided after a specialist assessment.

Psychiatric conditions

After an expert evaluation, neuromodulation may be considered as a supportive treatment option for:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive symptoms
• Trauma- and stress-related conditions
• Mood swings
• Sleep-related psychiatric problems

Cognitive and neuropsychiatric complaints

Where it is clinically appropriate, neuromodulation may also address problems with the brain's cognitive functions, such as:

• Forgetfulness and memory problems
• Difficulty with attention and concentration
• Learning difficulties
• Mental slowing and reduced cognitive performance
• Mild cognitive impairment

Neurological conditions

The unit's neuromodulation and neurophysiological methods can serve diagnostic and supportive purposes in:

• Movement disorders
• Certain clinical conditions associated with epilepsy
• Neuromuscular transmission disorders
• Parkinson's disease and similar neurological conditions

Functional and neurophysiological assessment

Some applications are not treatments in themselves. Instead, they are used for diagnosis, monitoring and planning, for example to:

• Evaluate communication between nerves and muscles
• Analyse brain waves
• Track the response to treatment objectively

EMG, QEEG and similar methods are important tools for this work.

Methods used in the unit

Assessing brain function

• Topographic brain mapping (QEEG/TBM): brain-wave analysis that describes the individual's brain function and helps guide treatment planning.
• Electromyography (EMG): a neurological diagnostic test that evaluates muscle and nerve conduction.

Magnetic and electrical brain stimulation

• Personalised TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation)
• Deep TMS (deep transcranial magnetic stimulation)
• Theta burst stimulation (TBS)
• tDCS and CES stimulation therapies
• ECT under anaesthesia

By targeting specific brain regions, these methods help support the treatment of psychiatric and neuropsychiatric conditions.

Other neuromodulation and adjunctive methods

• Transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS)
• Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS)
• Transcranial brain photobiomodulation (t-FNS)
• Neurobiofeedback (NBF)
• The Tomatis method

These approaches may be used to support stress management, cognition, learning, emotional balance and mindfulness.

Advanced and surgical approaches

• Functional neurosurgery (brain pacemaker): an advanced option, considered after expert evaluation, for certain neurological and psychiatric conditions that have not responded to medication.
• Neuronavigation-assisted procedures: allow more precise and safer interventions in targeted areas of the brain.

Our principles of care

To protect and support brain health, the Neuromodulation Unit at NPİSTANBUL Hospital puts the following first:

• Patient safety
• Scientific accuracy
• Ethical values
• A personalised approach