Some ideas best left to professionals

At-home brain treatments sound risky

People are apparently going to shocking lengths to stimulate their brains.

According to a report on ScienceAlert.com, there is a device one can purchase that allegedly helps alleviate depression and enhances creativity. But to do so, one basically has to deliver an electric shock to one’s brain. An alert Yuma Sun reader brought it to our attention after hearing about it on satellite radio recently.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?

The treatment is called transcranial electrical stimulation, or tES. People can have this done by a doctor. Or, now, one can purchase an at-home device to deliver the electrical pulses. The devices are easy to find online, and are relatively inexpensive – the Yuma Sun Editorial Board did a quick search online, and found the devices as cheap as $160. (And as a side note, one can purchase a textbook on the subject for $115 – almost as expensive as the device itself).

However, buying such as device for at-home use seems like a very bad idea.

Transcranial electrical stimulation, when administered by a medical professional, has shown promise as a treatment for a variety of conditions.

According to a report by Scientific American, studies have found benefits to the treatment, “including enhancing memory, improving math skills, alleviating depression and even speeding recovery from a stroke.”

But “little is known about how TES actually interacts with the brain, and some studies have raised serious doubts about the effectiveness of these techniques,” Scientific American reports.

So that begs the question: why would anyone want to do this at home?

The process is non-invasive, delivering the electrical current via electrodes that are attached to the patient’s head. But given the fact that the process requires delivering electrical current to one’s brain, arguably the most critical of organs, wouldn’t one want to do that under the guidance of a trained medical professional?

The treatment itself does show promise, but it’s likely best administered by a doctor – not do-it-yourself at home.

What do you think, readers? Is this at-home treatment a good idea or no? Share your thoughts online at www.YumaSun.com, or email us at letters@yumasun. com.