What treatment should be used when medication and therapy aren’t enough for a depressed patient? Christopher Wall, M.D., says using magnets to stimulate the brain is one option. The noninvasive technique, called transcranial magnetic stimulation, sends magnetic pulses into areas of the brain where depression lives.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the mood-boosting method for adults, and Dr. Wall is seeking to bring the therapy to adolescents. Clinical studies are under way at Mayo Clinic and Dr. Wall hopes these studies yield similarly impressive results.

During this presentation, Dr. Wall discusses his clinical trial and the differences between using the technique in adolescent and adult populations.

Note: Dr. Wall and Paul Croarkin, D.O., participated in a symposium about transcranial magnetic stimulation in child and adolescent psychiatry on Wednesday, October 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT. The symposium focused on treatment and ethical implications of treating adolescents as opposed to adults and how magnetic treatment can be used in personalized medicine.