Meet Lizzie Thomas

Dr Elizabeth (Lizzie) Thomas has been at Central Clinical School for almost a decade, having completed her Honours and PhD at the School before staying on as a researcher. She is currently the manager of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Clinical Research Unit at the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) and a research fellow at the HER Centre Australia. 

How did you become interested in mental health? What excites you about this area?

I initially got into mental health research as I wanted an Honours project that was more clinical rather than lab based. While my research focus has evolved throughout my time at MAPrc, my passion for mental health and cognition has remained constant, whether it be in schizophrenia as part of my PhD, in relation to hormonal fluctuations in women or in TMS. Studying cognition allows me to explore the intricacies of memory, attention, decision-making, and problem-solving, all of which I find fascinating!

New study to look at TMS treatment for OCD

The benefits of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) on people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the focus of a collaborative study between Monash University and the Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health (ECIMH).

• See full story
• For more information on the trial or to register as a participant please click here.

Could magnetic pulses help beat teen depression?

by Anne Crawford

A study showing that repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) reduced depression and anxiety in young people has pointed to factors suggesting who would be most likely to benefit from the treatment.

TMS, a non-invasive, well-tolerated procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, is well-established as a treatment for depression in adults but little research has been conducted to test its use in young people.

Media mention: Alzheimer's trial using TMS

A/Prof Kate Hoy

Articles on A/Prof Kate Hoy's clinical trial treating cognitive symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's with TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation)

16 Mar 2017 Channel 9 https://www.9now.com.au/today/2017/clip-cj0bte7av00bu0gloc3ow3nq4

15 Mar 2017 SMH, Age http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/brain-stimulation-for-alzheimers-disease-patients-shows-promise-20170313-guwz2p.html

14 Mar 2017 Herald Sun  http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/magnets-to-manipulate-brain-activity-latest-therapy-to-improve-early-symptoms-of-alzheimers-disease/news-story/75530cd8939c742371c2c9d2cf447dfe

Researchers call for more evidence for TMS guidelines for pain

TMS, a non-invasive therapy, uses magnetic
fields to stimulate brain nerve cells.

by Anne Crawford

Monash researchers investigating Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy have responded to an international paper on proposed guidelines for pain treatment research using the technique by calling for more evidence.

The original paper was published in the journal Pain following a workshop sponsored by Harvard's Radcliffe Institute, which solicited advice from world experts in TMS, pain research and clinical trials. It recommended that researchers standardise and document parameters for research into TMS, a non-invasive technique that uses a magnetic field to electrically stimulate parts of the brain via a small coil placed on the patient’s scalp.

Unlocking the brain with new stimulation technologies

Associate Professor Kate Hoy

Brain connectivity and neuroplasticity are increasingly investigated and becoming better understood, and the insights are being employed with new technologies for treatment of cognitive disorders and brain injuries.

In this article, Elouise Brennan interviews A/Prof Kate Hoy of the Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre on how the techniques of transcranial direct current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation are being used for schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and depression. Link to full story.

Mental health in the media with MAPrc

Prof Paul Fitzgerald explaining about

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

ABC Catalyst: Brain stimulation, broadcast 6 October 2015

Dr Maryanne Demasi explores magnetic transcranial stimulation or TMS with Professor Paul Fitzgerald. In the case of treating depression, the magnetic field is applied to the left prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain most responsible for happiness. Paul  says, "We tend to find about 45% of the patients we treat get a really substantial antidepressant response. Another 20% or so get benefit without it perhaps being life-changing. And about 35%, the patients don't respond at all."

Radio 3AW Talking health 4 October 2015: Professor Jayashri Kulkarni on 'borderline personality disorder' with Dr Sally Cockburn, how the term was invented 80 years ago and doesn't really help or explain the disorder (they don't quite have psychosis, they don't have depression, so it must be 'personality'!). Prof Kulkarni says that 85% of individuals diagnosed with the disorder had an early life trauma. They don't have a good internal sense of who they are. The major and most dangerous symptom is self harm.

Review publication: Measuring brain stimulation induced changes in cortical properties using TMS-EEG

TMS plus EEG equals more insight into
effects of brain stmulation

Neuromodulatory brain stimulation can induce plastic reorganization of cortical circuits that persist beyond the period of stimulation. Most of our current knowledge about the physiological properties has been derived from the motor cortex. The integration of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG) is a valuable method for directly probing excitability, connectivity and oscillatory dynamics of regions throughout the brain. Offering in depth measurement of cortical reactivity, TMS-EEG allows the evaluation of TMS-evoked components that may act as a marker for cortical excitation and inhibition.

Using TMS as a diagnostic tool for parkinsonian syndromes

Dr Kelly Bertram, a consulting neurologist
at the Alfred's Movement Disorders clinic,
demonstrates the use of the TMS device.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is being employed in a research study for early detection and measurement of neurodegenerative disorders including Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Parkinson's Disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Dr Kelly Bertram (pictured) and Dr Sarah Hewer have designed this study in collaboration with the Movement Disorder team at University of Rome. There is evidence neuronal dysfunction in PSP can be measured utilizing TMS. Given different parkinsonian syndromes are associated with different patterns of brain region involvement, diagnostic accuracy may be improved by the use of TMS. 

The study aims to measure responses to TMS paradigms in patients with PSP and compare these responses to patients with two other forms of parkinsonism, Multiple system atrophy and Parkinson’s disease, and with healthy controls. This will determine if TMS can distinguish between these diagnostic entities. Secondly, they hope to see if these responses correlate with clinical features of disease and change over time with disease progression. Dr Bertram said, "This will allow us to determine if TMS will be useful in future treatment trials."

See more about the Van Cleef/Roet Centre for Nervous Diseases research programs.

Participants sought: How brain stimulation may affect cognition in aging

A study participant wearing an electrode cap to measure brain

activity while undertaking a task

Participants aged 56 to 75 years are being sought for a research project using brain stimulation to enhance cognitive performance and neural plasticity. Participation will involve completing a series of cognitive tasks both before and after administration of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a safe, painless and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in the brain. Changes in brain activity before and after tDCS will be measured through the use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG).

The research is conducted at the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre. Participants are required to attend for a single session only (approx. 3.5 hours), and will be reimbursed $30 for their time.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please see study details or contact Melanie Emonson, melanie.emonson@monash.edu

Participants sought: Optimising the use of Theta Burst TMS in Modifying Brain Activity

Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) is currently seeking volunteers aged between 18 and 65 to take part in a study looking at the effects of magnetic stimulation on brain activity.  Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a safe and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in the brain. In addition to TMS, the participants will also have their brain activity assessed, using electroencephalograph (EEG). 

Congratulations to Prof Paul Fitzgerald for award of NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship!

Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre, has been awarded a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Practitioner Fellowship for his research on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a therapy for people suffering with depression. The NHMRC award of $551,436 is for five years (2015-2019). TMS is a novel brain stimulation treatment showing promise for treatment-resistant and severe depression. See more about TMS.

Participants sought: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of fibromyalgia

Image: Wikimedia

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre at the Alfred Hospital is currently seeking volunteers for a clinical trial of a non-medication investigational treatment for fibromyalgia called repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS). rTMS is a painless, safe, and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in the brain.We are conducting this study to see whether we can reduce the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.

Congratulations to Prof Paul Fitzgerald on ARC Linkage grant

Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre, has been successful in obtaining an ARC Linkage Grant LP130100448, for $581,643 across 2013-2016. The title is 'The development and testing of a device to enhance the application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)'. For more about Paul's research and the technique of TMS, see http://www.maprc.org.au/professor-paul-fitzgerald.

World first trials bring autism hope

Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre (MAPrc) researchers are currently using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate the brain basis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is expected that this ground-breaking research will lead to new developments for diagnosis and treatment. MAPrc is also running a clinical trial for adults with ASD that assesses whether TMS can be used to improve social aspects of ASD.

Research study: exploring how social interactions are processed in thebrain

MAPrc are currently seeking healthy volunteers, aged between 18 and 40 years, for a research study exploring how social interactions are processed in the brain.This study involves the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which is a painless, safe, and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in the brain. More information about the study can be found at