Brain stimulation therapies

Brain stimulation therapies involve activating or inhibiting the brain directly with electricity. The electricity can be given directly by electrodes implanted in the brain, or noninvasively through electrodes placed on the scalp. Electroconvulsive therapy is the best-studied brain stimulation therapy and has the longest history of use. The electricity can also be induced by using magnetic fields applied to the head. While these types of therapies are less frequently used than medication and psychotherapies, they hold promise for treating certain mental disorders that do not respond to other treatments (National Institute of Mental Health, 2022a).