Eumundi Voice Issue 121, 10 July 2025

HEALTH

New era in depression treatment

For decades, electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) – or ‘shock therapy’ – was considered the last resort for severe depression. Now, a new era in brain treatment has arrived, and the Sunshine Coast is home to one of the most advanced and targeted approaches in the country.

Brain & Mind Hub in Maroochydore is the first clinic in Qld to offer an intensive, neuro-navigated form of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – a non-invasive, drug-free treatment achieving remission rates of up to 90% in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Brain & Mind Hub Director and CEO Dr Jim Lagopoulos PhD – one of Australia’s most respected experts in mental health and neuroscience – says that while standard TMS protocols have been available for years, they typically deliver only moderate results, with around a 50% improvement in symptoms.

“TMS is a first-line treatment for depression in Europe and other countries, and while it is approved in Australia, it hasn’t yet been widely adopted in its most advanced form,” said Dr Lagopoulos.

“Brain & Mind Hub is leading the way with our use of MRI-guided neuro-navigation combined with an intensive protocol that delivers treatment faster and with greater precision. Through our three-tiered treatment model –Standard, Accelerated and Intensive – we’re able to achieve results in just days to weeks, rather than months.”

Dr Lagopoulos says that TMS is often misunderstood due to outdated perceptions of ‘shock therapy’ portrayed in movies. Popular culture has painted a grim picture of brain treatments – think One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest or Requiem for a Dream, which depict electroshock therapy as brutal and dehumanising.

“As crude as it was, shock therapy could yield impressive outcomes, but it came at a cost –requiring anaesthetic, full-brain stimulation and carrying significant risk of memory loss,” said Dr Lagopoulos.

“With TMS, we activate the same neural circuits with surgical precision, but without anaesthetic or invasive procedures. We use the same mapping techniques seen in brain surgery to accurately target the brain regions involved in mood regulation, but with gentle magnetic pulses. The difference in patient experience and outcomes is like night and day.”

Dr Lagopoulos explained that in the intensive treatment, the brain is stimulated 10 times in 1 day, every day for a week.

“Most patients notice a difference after just 10 to 15 sessions, with minimal side effects. Clinical trials conducted at Stanford University have shown remarkable results – up to a 90% improvement – particularly for those with longstanding or hard-to-treat depression.”

Backed by international research and approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, this innovative approach addresses an urgent need for better mental health solutions.

“In a country where 1 in 7 adults takes antidepressants, yet only around 30% respond effectively, many are left with limited options and a prolonged struggle for relief,” said Dr Lagopoulos.

“On the Sunshine Coast, we are seeing a significant rise in mental health cases, and it’s clear that traditional antidepressants alone are not enough to address this growing crisis – both here and across the country.

“Our TMS protocol is a powerful, evidence-based alternative – faster, more effective, and well tolerated. For many, it’s a genuine breakthrough – and a path back to feeling like themselves again.”

Visit: brainandmindhub.org.au.