TMS: A Game Changer for Depression and Dementia

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is one of the most powerful and least known breakthroughs in modern neuroscience. It requires no anesthesia, no surgery, no daily medication, and yet has produced remarkable results for conditions like treatment resistant depression, OCD, PTSD, addiction, chronic pain, dementia, and even post stroke recovery. Despite decades of strong research, most people, including many physicians, have never heard of it.

In this episode, Dr. Ravi Kumar sits down with board certified neurologist Dr. Ali Elahi, founder of NeuroSpa Brain Rejuvenation, to explore why TMS may be one of the most transformative brain therapies available today. Dr. Elahi explains how TMS uses targeted electromagnetic pulses to activate dormant brain circuits, restore healthy network connectivity, enhance neuroplasticity, and improve blood flow and neurochemical balance. Patients simply relax in a chair while a small coil delivers gentle tapping sensations on the scalp, no pain, no downtime, no systemic side effects.

Depression is one of the most studied areas in TMS, and the data are stunning. While antidepressants succeed roughly 30 to 40 percent of the time, much of that placebo, standard TMS results in 40 to 60 percent improvement even in patients who already failed medications. When advanced targeting is used, MRI navigation, EEG biomarkers, multi site stimulation, success rates can reach 80 to 90 percent, with remission rates around 40 to 60 percent. Unlike medication, these improvements are durable, and patients are not tied to lifelong daily pills, weight gain, emotional blunting, or sexual side effects.

We also explore the accelerated protocols pioneered at Stanford, where 36 days of treatment can be compressed into five days with over 90 percent success in severe depression. Patients often feel their best two to three weeks after completing therapy as their neural networks continue reorganizing.

One of the most compelling parts of the episode is the application of TMS in dementia. While medications have repeatedly failed to meaningfully change the course of Alzheimer’s disease, TMS studies have shown improvements in memory scores, attention, mood, and daily functioning. Dr. Elahi describes how certain dementia biomarkers, including amyloid related ratios, may improve after TMS, possibly due to enhanced microglial cleanup and improved vascular flow. Families consistently report reduced agitation, better communication, more engagement, and meaningful slowing of decline. TMS is not a cure, but it may offer real hope in a space where options are painfully limited.

We also discuss the extremely low risk profile of TMS. Mild headaches, tapping sensations, and rare fatigue are the most common issues. Seizures are extraordinarily rare, about 1 in 30,000, lower than many common antidepressants. There is no weight gain, emotional flattening, or hormonal disruption. For patients who feel stuck, discouraged, or told they have run out of options, TMS can be a safe and life changing alternative.

This episode is a deep dive into how TMS works, who might benefit, how treatment is delivered, why it is so overlooked in medicine, and how it fits into the future of brain health. If you or someone you love is battling depression, cognitive decline, chronic anxiety, or the emotional toll of watching a loved one change before your eyes, this conversation may open a door you did not know existed.

Dr. Elahi is a board certified neurologist specializing in advanced TMS protocols for depression, dementia, OCD, PTSD, chronic pain, and post stroke recovery. His work emphasizes individualized brain mapping and evidence based, noninvasive therapies. Website: https://neurospabrain.com Clinic: (949) 652-7301 YouTube:    / @neurospabrain