{"id":14589,"date":"2024-03-12T16:45:27","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T16:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1404735"},"modified":"2024-03-12T16:45:27","modified_gmt":"2024-03-12T16:45:27","slug":"brain-stimulation-tech-wins-e5m-to-fight-depression-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=14589","title":{"rendered":"Brain stimulation tech wins \u20ac5M to fight depression at home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Depression affects approximately <\/span>280 million people<\/span><\/a> all over the world, and disproportionately affects the female population \u2014 it is 50% more common in women than men. Treatments range from psychotherapy and lifestyle adjustments to antidepressants and more experimental concepts: brain stimulation therapies. <\/span>
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<\/span>Sooma, a medtech startup<\/a> based in Helsinki, Finland, is focused on the latter. The company has developed a portable brain stimulation device for <\/span>Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). <\/span>
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<\/span>Its neuromodulation device is already the most prescribed tDCS therapy worldwide, with over 20,000 people having received treatment. Sooma announced today it has secured additional growth funding<\/a> of \u20ac5mn to further develop the product and expand in new and existing markets.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is tDCS for depression?<\/strong> <\/span><\/h2>\n

tDCS is a form of neuromodulation (the process of regulating nervous system activity by controlling the physiological levels of neurons) that uses a low electrical current to stimulate specific parts of the brain.<\/span>
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<\/span>So how exactly does wearing a swimming cap with electrodes alleviate depression symptoms? The mild electrical currents administered through the cap can influence the activity of specific brain cells, responsible for releasing neurotransmitters related to mood. In addition, a 2023 study <\/span>published in Nature<\/span><\/a> found that specific set-ups of tDCS generated more grey matter, key component of the brain\u2019s neural tissue,<\/span> <\/em>in areas of the brain associated with loss of grey matter from depression.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/i><\/a>Sooma was founded in 2013. Credit: Sooma<\/figcaption>