Interventional Psychiatry at the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute

PRI’s Dr. Amy Grooms talks about the SAINT neuromodulation system in a recent interview on KTHV-TV, Channel 11.

The UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute’s Interventional Psychiatry program offers pioneering treatments for depression, bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions. These treatments are FDA-approved and very effective in helping individuals recover from their conditions, particularly if these conditions have not improved from the use of antidepressants or psychotherapy.

To find out more about the Interventional Psychiatry Program, call 501-526-8650 or email us at psychiatry-interventional@uams.edu. The program will accept referrals from a patient’s current psychiatrist by faxing a recent history to 501-603-1897 to the attention of Interventional Psychiatry.

Here are some of the treatments offered by the program:

SAINT®

The SAINT® neuromodulation system is an FDA-cleared, non-pharmacologic treatment for major depressive disorder. SAINT therapy makes sense of complex brain imaging to identify the optimal spot in the individual’s brain to treat depression. Once identified, a precise, non-invasive pattern of magnetic stimulation is delivered in a condensed treatment protocol that reduces treatment time from weeks to days.

Click here to learn more about the SAINT system.

Electroconvulsive therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy is used for patients with severe mood disorders (depression and bipolar) that have not responded to other forms of treatment. When a disorder becomes this severe, it is referred to as treatment-resistant depression. Electroconvulsive therapy is a primary a treatment choice for treatment-resistant depression, psychotic depression and acute suicidality. Also, it can be an ideal choice for severe depression during pregnancy and afterwards (postpartum depression), thereby allowing minimal exposure of the baby to medications.

Electroconvulsive therapy involves brief electrical stimulation of the brain conducted while the patient is under anesthesia. The electroconvulsive therapy team of medical professionals at the Psychiatric Research Institute includes a psychiatrist, an anesthesiologist and a nurse, all highly trained and experienced.

Ketamine

Ketamine has been used primarily as an anesthetic since the 1960s. Recently, it has been shown in some individuals to dramatically improve the symptoms of patients with severe depression, especially those with suicidal thoughts. The Psychiatric Research Institute is currently using two forms of this drug to treat suicidal ideation and treatment resistant depression:

• Ketamine infusions
• Esketamine