DBS - Deep
Brain Stimulation (Wiki)
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Also referred to as a pacemaker for the brain, DBS seems to
act as an antidepressant in mentally ill patients. Indeed,
the treatment also seems to block tremors related to
Parkinson's disease et al. So far, at the time of writing,
approximately 40,000 patients worldwide have undergone the
procedure. However, despite this, the procedure is still in
it's infancy and requires much more research. Of the 40,000
patients who have undergone the treatment, only a handful
have undergone it to fight MDD (Major Depressive Disorder)
or OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), and each time the
patient was treated under close surveillance. Happily,
preliminary evidence is promising in the fields
aforementioned.
One patient showed remarkable improvement, saying "I'm
starting to smile" upon activation of the device and
indeed, patients who failed to respond even to ECT
(Electro-Convulsive Therapy) exhibited symptoms of
improvement, often very quickly. More than 50% of patients
undergoing DBS in a controlled study of 26 OCD sufferers
showed significant improvement and 6 of 17 (35%) patients
suffering from MDD were in remission a year after
undergoing the procedure; a further 4 were markedly
improved (Cleveland Clinic, Brown University, and Belgium's
University of Leuven). Dr. Helen Mayberg of Emory
University estimated, having performed the procedure on 50
patients with MDD, that 66% of patients undergoing DBS
could be classified as "responders" not long after. Sadly,
the procedure is dogged by the threat of nasty side
effects.