Effective treatment of depression with magnetic headband and Japanese technology

Eviralnews,, citing SciTech Daily, this device, which is placed on the patient's head, has reduced the symptoms of four men with serious depressive disorder by producing an ultra-low frequency magnetic field. Future trials with this device could provide a safe, non-invasive treatment option for depression.

The presence of a magnetic field with frequencies that are usually between 0 and 300 Hz is known as “Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Environment” (ELF-ELME). Although the interaction between magnetic fields and biological systems is complex and not well understood, this frequency is believed to stimulate mitochondria and cause them to replicate. Because mitochondria produce energy, they offer a potential way to treat many symptoms associated with depression, such as lethargy.

In this study, researchers led by Professor Toshiya Inada from Nagoya University School of Medicine and Masako Tachibana from Nagoya University Hospital in Japan, four male participants suffering from depression and receiving treatment between the ages of 18 and 75 years old were examined in a clinical study which is the first exploratory study in humans.

In exploratory studies such as these, both participants and researchers are aware of the treatment being administered. Although the sample size is small and there is no control group, researchers can focus on gathering preliminary data to explore the safety, dosage, and potential effectiveness of the new intervention.

During the trial, the participants were exposed to ELF-ELME by wearing this magnetic field device on their head for two hours a day for eight weeks. As the researchers predicted, all four people saw a decrease in their level of depression.

Although this trial was an exploratory trial with a limited number of participants and no control group, the findings suggest that larger-scale clinical trials are feasible. If such trials are effective, their research could lead to a fundamental change in the current clinical practice of treating depression.

“This device has great potential to treat depression more effectively in a patient-centered way,” Inada believes. The magnetic field produced by the device is non-invasive: 1/4.5 of Japan's geomagnetic field and less than 1/60 of the general standard of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.

He expects patients to be able to receive daily home treatment without realizing they are in a low magnetism environment.

Researchers say: Compared to current depression treatments such as long-term antidepressants, electrical seizure therapy, and repeated magnetic brain stimulation, this treatment works better in terms of comfort and lack of anticipated side effects. “We will use this device for patients who prefer not to take medication or to use it safely in combination with other treatments.”

The results of this research have been published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry.