What is MeRT®?

MeRT® and Your Brain

The human brain contains approximately 100 billion neurons. Through electrical oscillations or brain waves, the neurons control how the brain functions. Whenever there are forces, either internal or external, that disrupt normal brain wave activity, dysfunction can occur and manifest itself in several ways, including:

    • anxiety
    • memory problems
    • emotional dysregulation
    • depression
    • addiction
    • sleep disturbance
    • brain fog
    • trouble thinking or gathering thoughts
    • communication
    • trouble with focus
    • speech/learning delay
This can be caused by:
    • Trauma to the head such as a concussion
    • Emotional trauma or high amounts of chronic or acute stress, PTSD
    • Major Depression Disorder
    • Illness or disease such as a stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, etc.
    • Drug or alcohol addiction
The Brain Treatment Center in Newport Beach can identify exactly where the brain waves are not communicating or connecting properly. MeRT technology can target those exact areas and reshape the activity in the brain, regardless of what caused the dysfunction.

What is MeRT?

MeRT (Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy) is a cutting-edge treatment protocol using the combined technologies of rTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), qEEG (Quantitative Electroencephalogram), and EKG (Electrocardiogram) to build treatment protocols tailored to a person’s unique brain wave patterns.

MeRT is an emerging technology that aims to improve brain function and communication. The equipment used is FDA-cleared to treat Major Depressive Disorder and OCD and is used off-label to treat a wide variety of conditions.

Specifically, MeRT includes a proprietary brain wave analysis to identify the exact areas in the brain that are not functioning properly or communicating how they should be. Our physicians then use this information to develop a personalized and targeted approach designed to restore healthy brain communication. Then, this therapy gently stimulates these specific locations in the brain, which can lead to improved function.

MeRT is non-surgical, non-invasive, and non-pharmaceutical. 

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“We can visualize these EEG disruptions.”

“MeRT is a variant of transcranial magnetic stimulation. This is where we are generating a magnetic field that we know penetrates a couple of centimeters into the cortex, the outermost layer of the brain, and has a lot of different settings to it as far as how fast we can treat, the power, and the dosage.

“As an overview, we’re talking about the speed of this oscillation, how some neurons might be slower, and some might be a little bit faster. We can visualize these EEG disruptions. This is a series of different types of cases:

“[These are] the frontal, central, and posterior portions of the brain. And we can count how many brain waves there are per second. What we expect to find is this brain clock, this radio frequency in the brain that helps us conduct information is the same in the back as we see in the central and frontal regions: There’s one peak and it lines up and it’s the same speed.

“What we might find with a patient coming into our clinics with concussion where they have in the front of the brain a slower frequency downstream of the injury. So they’re taking information in but they’re not able to keep up with it. We also see that in addiction. When we look at autism, we might find that this rhythm is disrupted everywhere in the brain.

“Our goal is to take that EEG and to specifically guide therapy settings to be individualized to that person’s brainwave activity.”

– Alex Ring, Director of Applied Sciences at Wave Neuroscience, speaking at the Autism One Conference

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The MeRT Process

MeRT evolved from a technology called rTMS (repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation). However, MeRT is much more customized for each patient based on their brain scans and symptoms.

Studies have shown altered brain wave oscillations in patients suffering from conditions such as Major Depression Disorder (MDD), Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety, and more. The MeRT treatment protocol uses a magnetic field to balance and stimulate brain function.

Click through these simple 5-Steps in the horizontal menu below…

  • Talk with our New Patient Coordinator
  • Initial Analysis
  • Assessment Period
  • Full Treatment Program
  • Final Testing
Talk with our New Patient Coordinator

Our New Patient Coordinator is here to help

Call us and talk with our New Patient Coordinator. She will take the time to answer any questions you have as explain things. You can discuss your specific circumstances and she can explain how it all works.

This consultation is free of charge and there are no obligations to move forward with any further steps.

If you would like to take the next steps to see if you or your loved one may benefit from MeRT, she can schedule a qEEG (brain scan) and a consultation to discuss the results with our clinician. 

Call (949) 418-1108

Initial Analysis

The qEEG and Consultation

If you are interested in seeing if MeRT treatment is right for you, we will initially schedule two appointments, both of which last about 45 minutes.

This simply involves a qEEG (quantitative EEG or brain scan), followed by a consultation with our clinician a few days later to see your results before making any decisions about treatment or proceeding with anything further.

For the initial analysis, you will come in for a comprehensive testing appointment. We will gather your new patient paperwork, and then our chief neuro technician will perform a qEEG and EKG to enable us to identify any dysfunction or communication problems in your brain.

Your second appointment usually runs about 45 minutes. During this time, you will meet with one of our clinicians, Kayleigh Prowse or Sheila Stephens, for your consultation. She will discuss your qEEG results, answer any questions you may have and discuss your applicable treatment plan. Dr. Julie Kim, our Medical Director, oversees all treatment for each patient. 

Should you decide to proceed with treatment, we will schedule your assessment period.

Assessment Period

Two Weeks of MeRT followed by new testing

The assessment period of treatment lasts two weeks. This assessment period will help you — and us — determine how you are responding to treatment. 

You will have your initial qEEG/EKG and then attend treatment sessions for two weeks. The first week will be Monday through Friday, and the second week, Monday through Thursday, nine sessions in total, followed by a repeat qEEG to determine progress and note any changes occurring in your brain. 

A typical treatment session takes about 45 minutes. You will sit in a chair while the neuro-technician administers the treatment near the scalp via a hand-held magnet. We deliver gentle magnetic impulses for six to eight seconds each minute. You may feel a slight sensation while the treatment is occurring, but it is not painful or uncomfortable.

Full Treatment Program

Continuing Treatment

Once the assessment period is complete, we will schedule the subsequent two-week treatment periods. Because each treatment period lasts for two weeks, you must be able to stay in Newport Beach or the surrounding area for each 2-week treatment period.

The comparison between the initial and second qEEG/clinical evaluation will often show if you are responding. You may also start to experience changes in the way you are feeling during this time. For some, it takes longer before changes are more obvious. We highly advise a total of six to eight weeks of treatment (which includes the assessment period) for optimal and long-lasting results. 

Since each brain is unique, the protocol will be different for each patient as it is based on specific qEEG/EKG data from your brain, and the specific condition being treated. Generally, the results of treatment can last a lifetime, though some people prefer occasional follow-up treatment as needed. But each person is different, and protocols may vary. Your provider will have regularly scheduled follow-up EEGs and meet with you to gauge your progress.

Final Testing

Review of Changes and Improvements

An additional qEEG is performed at the end of treatment to assess and take stock of the benefits and improvements that have occurred as a result of the full treatment protocol. 

Please note that results and improvements are based on active and strict observation of our regimens. Results may vary based on the individual users and are not guaranteed. Plus, the results of therapy can vary per individual. In general, the longer the length of MeRT therapy, the longer the changes remain.

How MeRT Works

Contact Our New Patient
Coordinator for more Information

It’s normal for patients and their families affected by brain disorders to feel uncertain about treatment options and what is best. MeRT is a treatment protocol that has helped patients restore their brain function, reclaim their lives, and get a whole new lease on life.

Our goal is to help guide you through the process so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not MeRT is the right treatment for you or your child. Our clinicians and technicians are passionate about helping you to heal.

Our New Patient Coordinator is available to answer any questions that you may have about how MeRT can help you specifically. She’ll take the time to listen to your concerns and put your mind at ease. She can also assist in getting you scheduled with the clinic should you decide to move forward with treatment.

Call Our New Patient Coordinator to Learn More

(949) 418-1108

Or fill out the Contact Form below and we will contact you. 

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Absolute Contraindications

Absolute contraindications for cortical MeRT treatment: Pacemaker, Defibrillator, Vagal Nerve Stimulator, VP Shunt/ Magnetic intracranial shunts, Deep Brain Stimulator, Epidural Cortical stimulator, Steel shunts/stents, Cranial metal fragments (i.e. shrapnel, excluding titanium), Cochlear implant, Aneurysm clips, coils, pipelines flow diversion, Pregnant or breastfeeding, Primary brain cancer / metastatic lesions in brain (unless palliative care), Magnetic dental implants, Implanted cardio-verter defibrillators (ICD), Ocular implants.

Relative Contraindications

Relative contraindications require closer protocol attention and may or may not disqualify someone from receiving cortical MeRT treatment, depending on the doctor’s discretion and the person’s individual condition. These include: History of Seizure or seizure disorder, Titanium shunts/stents, Spinal Cord Stimulator, Hearing aids, Ferrous cortical implants, Magnetic ink tattoo, Bipolar Disorder Type I/II, Baha Implant.