UAMS first in U.S. to offer therapy for treatment-resistant depression

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ( KNWA/KFTA ) — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is the first medical facility in the United States to provide a treatment for major depressive disorder, according to a press release.

The release from the university says the SAINT neuromodulation system developed by Magnus Medica, Inc. has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with depression who have not achieved improvement in their condition from the use of antidepressant medications.

The release says SAINT works by using MRI scans to inform an algorithm that pinpoints the right target for exact stimulation in the brain for people with major depression.

According to UAMS, the treatment is performed on a five-day timeline, reducing the patient’s treatment time from weeks to days.

UAMS says in previous clinical trials, treatment with SAINT for MDD resulted in a significant reduction in depressive symptoms at four weeks post-treatment following the five-day treatment protocol.

The release says currently, SAINT can only be provided to patients who are being treated as inpatients.

“We are thrilled to be the first site in the nation to offer the breakthrough SAINT neuromodulation system for individuals suffering from depression, and I am very optimistic that this new approach will change people’s lives,” said Laura B. Dunn, M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry and director of the Psychiatric Research Institute at UAMS.

According to UAMS, patients undergo an MRI scan which takes around 45 minutes to pinpoint the right target. The treatment consists of 10 sessions per day for five consecutive days. Each session includes 10 minutes of stimulation followed by a 50-minute rest period.

More information can be found here .

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