An Experimental Depression Treatment Using Electric Currents to Bring Relief (Research Paper Sample)

An Experimental Depression Treatment Uses Electric Currents to Bring Relief
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An Experimental Depression Treatment Uses Electric Currents to Bring Relief.
Introduction
The health issue of depression has become much better understood in recent years; however, the exact cause of depression is not yet known, although it is believed to be caused by an imbalance in neurotransmitters. For this reason, depression treatments often focus on medicine to correct this chemical imbalance, but it can take several weeks before there are any effects. Scientists recently discovered that passing small electric currents through the skull immediately affects mood, with improvement being noted within hours. The electric currents are passed through four locations in the brain where it is known that depressed people's brains transmit signals more slowly than those of non-depressed people. This new treatment for depression does not require taking medication and is very effective; however, only half of the people who received it responded to it. The study's purpose was to discover why some responded well while others did not and what brain activity might predict a good response. This treatment method has received a great deal of interest and funding from pharmaceutical companies.