The Neuroscience Center is a state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment center (housed in a casual, family friendly environment) which provides diagnosis and treatment for people suffering from a wide range of psychiatric, and/or neuropsychiatric illnesses, such as ADHD, Depression, Asperger’s/Autism Spectrum Disorders, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress, Bipolar Disorder, Eating Disorders, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Substance Abuse, Learning Disabilities and Schizophrenia.
At his Deerfield, Illinois clinic, Dr. Steven Best, M.D. has successfully tested and is now administering a particularly effective treatment for both long-standing intensely dysphoric depression, and also chronic “somatic” pain: Ketamine infusion facilitated with TMS. His facility specializes in evaluating and treating patients who have already failed to achieve adequate recovery in spite of many attempts, and the utilization of multiple modalities of treatment. About 14 years ago, Dr. Best added TMS/rTMS to his armamentarium of interventions, and found this form of brain stimulation to be very potent for the right patient. Eventually, however, it became clear that severely ill patients (whether with mental illness or with chronic physiological pain), needed to actively receive treatment in the clinic for most days of the week in order to recover. So, even though patients felt ever better, they were hampered from a return to occupation by the intense regimen of treatment. This heavy human-burden of time away from everyday life, and monetary expense, has been untenable over the long term.
Over the past two years, Dr. Best has treated over 30 patients with this new briefer technique, resulting in quicker relief. Of these patients, more than 85% have developed highly significant relief from otherwise unremitting misery. Adverse affects of uncomfortable experiences such as fear or disorientation/dissociation occurred in 40% of patients. None of these effects foretold a positive or negative outcome, and none persisted for more than a few minutes. Most patients were able to walk/talk/jest within a few minutes after the 60-minute procedure ended. All of the patients were safeguarded using conventional pre-anesthesia guidelines, such as not eating, and all were able to eat without consequence here in the clinic within an hour after the facilitated ketamine infusion.
Typically, patients were able to reduce their use of medications, and return to an active family life and/or to their occupation. Most patients were able to achieve a stable remission, and were discharged from the infusion clinic. A few patients have asked for ongoing treatment with ongoing benefit. This new method of treatment has given us a potent, new, and non-destructive way to lighten the burden of illness, at lower cost and with less hassle for the patient. I believe it holds great promise in the compassionate treatment of otherwise treatment-resistant patients: their pain lifts, and they are able to become more involved, better related, and more productive.
You can read the story at ChicagoTribune.com
