Kind Health Group: Provides advanced TMS therapy for diverse neurological conditions

Business Honor

Kind Health is an organization that offers mental health and brain health services led by physicians trained in advanced methods called "neuromodulation" to help those suffering from conditions like depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD and cognitive difficulties. Their primary area of focus is using a non-invasive technique called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (also known as "TMS"), which uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific regions of the brain to help improve related neuro-blockages. It is used in conjunction with or as an alternative to traditional forms of psychiatric treatment (e.g., medications/therapy).

Kind Health has a clinical model designed around a stepwise pathway of care, which consists of having a physician perform an initial assessment and write a personalized treatment plan followed by continuing support throughout the length of the patient's treatment experience. In addition, they believe that if there is always some continuity in care over time (i.e., constant monitoring and modification of treatment), then the patient will be able to sustain improvements in mood, cognitive functioning and temperament. This concept of extended care coordination is a direct response to patients who may have gone through inconsistent care experiences, where care has been provided by many different providers, but there was not a coordinated process for following up/monitoring/exhibiting treatment results.

TMS Therapies Offered by Kind Health

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Kind Health views Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a neurodevelopmental disorder stemming from a difference in the growth and connection between different parts of the brain that play a part in maintaining focus, managing impulse control, storing short-term memory, and controlling executive functions. ADHD is also thought of in terms of how there are differences in the connection between the prefrontal cortex -- the area of the brain that manages attention and impulse control, and parts of the deeper brain -- that manage our behaviors and our ability to focus on a task for a longer than average period.

Clients with ADHD often have a hard time keeping their focus on their task due to being easily distracted and can exhibit difficulty organizing and/or completing tasks and show an inconsistency in controlling their emotions. In this framework, transcranial magnetic stimulation is utilized as a non-invasive neuromodulation method to increase/change the function of specific areas of the brain. The basis for using this form of neuromodulation is that stimulating the prefrontal cortex areas of the brain can also lead to increased changes in neural excitability and connections over time. Neuromodulation is combined with other types of therapies that may include behavioral therapies/educational therapies and/or medications when deemed necessary.

Alzheimer’s disease

Kind Health defines Alzheimer's disease as a progressive neurocognitive disorder that results in progressive deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and functional abilities. Alzheimer's disease involves both structural and functional changes to the brain, including disruptions of brain networks involved in the consolidation of memories and retrieval of information. Such changes in the brain are usually visible to the greatest extent in those brain regions that are responsible for helping us learn new things, navigate through our environment, and process or organize what they experience (also referred to as executive functions). As these areas in the brain continue to deteriorate, the individual's ability to perform cognitive tasks on a daily basis will continue to deteriorate.

To create a neuromodulation treatment option for the cognitive portions of the brain, transcranial magnetic stimulation is used to stimulate the cortical areas that are linked to the cognitive processes of the individual diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The clinical rationale is based on discovering the possibility of modulating neuronal activity in non-affected areas of the brain with the goal of enhancing cognitive engagement and to maintain the individual's capacity to utilize existing neuronal networks. Transcranial magnetic stimulation does not promote a change to the underlying disease process, but rather is offered as a component of a comprehensive care model designed to support the cognitive capabilities and overall quality of life of those living with Alzheimer's disease.

Borderline Personality Disorder

At Kind Health, they view borderline personality disorder (BPD) as a disorder characterized by extreme emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and unstable interpersonal relationships. BPD is thought to be connected with changes in brain regions that regulate emotion, especially increased limbic reactivity and decreased prefrontal regulatory control. The result is the presence of various symptoms, which may include rapid mood changes, high intensity of emotion, low ability to tolerate distress, and unstable self-image.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive treatment method that modifies the activity of the neural circuits that regulate emotion. The clinical use of TMS is primarily focused on modulating activity in brain regions associated with emotional dysregulation, with the ultimate goal of improving stability in emotional responses. While TMS is not meant to replace psychotherapeutic treatments for BPD, which are the primary modality for treating BPD, it can augment the brain system's regulation of emotion and promote emotional stability. All treatment plans for patients with BPD are individualized and based on a clinical assessment of severity of symptoms and functional impairment as well as co-occurring conditions.

Cognitive Enhancement

Kind Health presents Cognitive enhancement using a neuromodulation method that employs transcranial magnetic stimulation as a neuropharmacological approach to assist in the brain systems associated with attention, memory, processing speed, and executive functioning. The area of focus will be the neural networks located within the cortical areas, and they are responsible for performing higher order cognitive tasks such as such as sustained attention, cognitive flexibility and working memory. Neuromodulation in this application is based upon the theory that by utilizing targeted stimulation to the brain, this will in turn change the neural connectivity and excitability of the brain and possibly improve the efficiency of information processing to the brain's circuitry.

Clinical evaluations are performed to develop treatment plans based upon the cognitive profile developed from patient's clinical history, levels of required cognitive demands, and any deficiencies reported by the patient within the cognitive performance levels. This method does not consider enhancement of the baseline cognitive ability above typical levels; rather, it is intended to assist individuals in achieving higher levels of cognitive performance within a consistent manner. In addition, it is intended to be used in combination with other clinically based interventions that can affect cognitive function such as sleep, stress, and cognitive load.

Dr. Georgine Nanos | Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Georgine Nanos is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Kind Health Group. Dr. Georgine Nanos, MD, MPH is a distinguished board-certified family physician. With over 20 years of experience practicing medicine in San Diego, Dr. Nanos has consistently led the charge in seamlessly integrating mental health into primary care practices. She deeply understands the intrinsic connection between physical and mental well-being.