Could an electric shock helmet cure depression?

A study in Denmark has shown that a helmet that delivers tiny electrical shocks to the brain could help reduce depression in patients.

Trials involving patients on antidepressants showed a dramatic improvement in the subjects’ mood and dependence on drugs. The helmet delivered Transcranial Pulsating Electro Magnetic Fields (T-PEMF) to the brain tissue of patients, which recreates the electrical impulses that the brain usually creates itself.

The study allowed patients to continue taking their antidepressants and two-thirds reported feeling much better after the trials.

There is hope that these helmets could soon be mass marketed to assist the 350 million people that suffer from depression around the world.

To learn how a mix of biology and chemistry governs our wide variety of emotions be sure to check out issue 60 of How It Works, available from 22 May!