Desert Health News - January-February 2024

FIND Food Bank; Galilee Center; Girlfriend Factor; Hunter Lopez Memorial Foundation; Jewish Family Service of the Desert; John F. Kennedy Foundation/ Ophelia Project; Martha's Village and Kitchen; and Pueblo Unido. The American Express will take place January 18 – 21 this year and is certain to generate the same level of excitement and community support. The American Express isn’t the only tournament makingan impact inour area. TheGalleri Classic, now in its second year, not only contributes financially, but through innovative health opportunities as well. On the PGA TOUR Champions, the event features the seasoned players we all know and love and is named after title sponsor GRAIL’s multi-cancer early detection blood test. The Galleri test is the first in the growing category to come to market and is changing the way doctors and patients identify, address and treat cancer. Thus, it is fitting that their tournament’s charitable giving focuses on organizations that support patients through all phases of their cancer journey. From a simple blood draw, the Galleri test can identify if you have one of more than 50 cancers and where that cancer is located. “We see The Galleri Classic as much more than just a golf tournament,” GRAIL CEO Bob Ragusa shared last year. “At age 50 and older, PGA TOUR Champions players likely have personal experiences with cancer and can use this platform to inspire both their peers and fans to be more proactive about their health.” Ragusa adds that the company chose the Coachella Valley sponsorship because of our demographics and tradition of excellence in health care. Since last year’s inaugural tournament, the company has begun working with regional providers including the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Desert Regional Medical Center and Halo Diagnostics which uses it as part of their multiomics approach to identifying cancers. “In the U.S., we have testing for only five types of cancer,” states HALO’s Director of Neuroradiology Christopher Hancock, MD. “We recommend the Galleri test to all patients over 50 for its efficacy in identifying other cancers, as well as for younger patients who demonstrate risk factors.” The Galleri Classic returns to Mission Hills Country Club March 25-31 and will once again benefit Desert Cancer Foundation, Eisenhower Health, Hanson House, Pendleton Foundation, the American Cancer Society’s local affiliate and Shay’s Warriors Life After Cancer. Whether you volunteer at these spectacular events or attend as a spectator, feel good in knowing that your participation is making a difference in our community as golf in our valley continues to give back. Editorial by Desert Health Publisher Lauren Del Sarto. For more information, visit www.TheAmexGolf.com and www.TheGalleriClassic.com. (Front page photo by The American Express/Kyle McCune) www.movementforlife.com/desert Wandering through the tunnels of yourmind, mooddisorders create an emotional or physical upset, often impairing your ability to function at your peak. A mood disorder can take many shapes, from continued feelings of melancholy to experiencing emotional turmoil. Understanding and realizing these disorders is a giant leap toward ensuring mental wellness. The treatment for mood disorders, however, isn’t a universal solution but a remedy tailored to an individual’s specific need. A constant imbalance in a person’s mental state upsets the equilibrium. A mood disorder takes a toll not only on the individual but also on the people around them. Frequently changing energy levels, sleeplessness, loss of concentration, indecisiveness and isolation from social interaction are impacts that mood disorders can induce on an individual. Establishing a supportive environment becomes necessary in such cases, and seeking professional help should never be frowned upon. Non-invasive therapies showing much success in treating mood disorders are Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Personalized Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (PrTMS). The broad term for TMS is known as neuromodulation – the modification of neural activity to stimulate specific neurological areas of the body through various methods, such as electric stimulus or stimuli through a chemical agent. TMS is a niche form of neuromodulation, in particular, a non-invasive method to stimulate the brain through electric stimuli. The underlying mechanism of TMS is based on the principles of electromagnetic induction, as theorized by pioneering scientist Michael Faraday. An electric current is induced in the cerebral cortex through varying electric and magnetic fields. Evolving from the traditional method of TMS, PrTMS is tailored to the patient's specific needs. The brain is mapped via spectral electroencephalography (Spectral EEG) and adjusts the parameters of TMS: intensity, frequency, amplitude and point of stimulation – as per the requirements after a spectral EEG. How does personalized TMS (PrTMS) work? Step 1: Brain mapping . A human brain is home to billions of neurons, which align in patterned arrangements controlling brain functions: emotions, empathy, memory, etc. These neurons electrochemically coordinate with one another, giving rise to brain waves. The first step of PrTMS analyzes these brain waves through EEG to provide a detailed view of your neuron activity and to see the extent of disturbance in brain waves. It gives a clear picture of the health of the patient’s brain. Step 2: Analysis and formulation of a treatment plan. The data recorded with brain mapping is interpreted and analyzed by experts who then create a tailored treatment plan to help sort the disruptions observed in the brain. Medical News The Valley ' s Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 5 www.DesertHealthNews.com January/February 2024 Brain stimulation through TMS and PrTMS has shown successful results in treating mental disorders. Personalized TMS for Mood Disorders By Keerthy Sunder, MD Continued on page 24 GRAIL CEO Bob Ragusa and 2023 Champion David Toms. (Photo by The Galleri Classic/Scott Avra) $65M@ 65: Golf Continues to Give Back Continued from page 1