Cognitive Safety of Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment Resistant Depression

Dr Shock
May 24, 2008


Apart from a transient mild decline in manual motor speed, there seems to be no
adverse cognitive effects associated with chronic Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in Cg25 for Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) in this sample of 6 patients with a follow-up of 12 months.

Another important conclusion from this research:

Several areas of cognition that were below average or impaired at baseline improved over follow-up, and these changes were not correlated with improvements in mood.

Broadman Area 25 as target for deep brain stimulation in treatment resistant depression. This area in the brain is from the most important publication about DBS and depression in Neuron march 2005 by Helen Mayberg. This is the location used in the largest trial with DBS in TRD. Other locations for DBS in TRD appear as well but these publications concern individual cases.

Functional neuroimaging as well as antidepressant treatment effects suggest that this area plays an important role in modulating negative mood states. Clinical response was demonstrated in 4 of 6 patients using standardized psychiatric end points. These results suggest that modulation of pathological activity in specific limbic-cortical circuits by electrical stimulation of Cg25 can effectively reverse symptoms in previously TRD patients.

Comparison to ECT

Moreover, in contrast to the memory deficits consistently reported with
ECT, no consistent declines in memory for either verbal or visual material were noted after onset or maintenance of DBS over baseline.


Limitations

  • small sample size (n=6)
  • the lack of a matched control group
  • the lack of control (on-off) conditions for stimulation
  • impact of repeat testing or regression toward the mean may have nonetheless affected the results
  • patients were not free of psychopharmacological drugs

Other indications for DBS:

ResearchBlogging.org
McNeely, H.E., Mayberg, H.S., Lozano, A.M., Kennedy, S.H. (2008). Neuropsychological Impact of Cg25 Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 196(5), 405-410. DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181710927

Popularity: 3% [?]

Related posts:

  1. New Trial On Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment Resistant Depression
  2. Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment Resistant depression
  3. Potential surgical targets for deep brain stimulation in treatment-resistant depression
  4. New Kind of Brain Stimulation for Treatment Resistant Depression
  5. Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment Resistant Depression

4 Responses to “Cognitive Safety of Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment Resistant Depression”

  1. Any experience with DBS in depression? Our colleague Loes G has treated several OCD patients, mostly succesfully with DBS, but only 2 or 3 with TRD. It remains a heavy procedure in my opinion… and it should at least have less side-effects than ECT (that does not have too many side-effects either)
    grtz

  2. shrink on May 24th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
  3. No as far as I know it is not available in TheNetherlands for TRD. In Amsterdam patients with OCD were treated with DBS.
    See also:
    http://www.amc.uva.nl/index.cfm?sid=227&uitgaveid=63&contentitemid=551&itemid=101
    Regards Dr Shock

  4. Dr. Shock on May 24th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
  5. I am interested in DBS for deep depression as I understand it tak place in the Neterlands an dould beconenientfor me to come fro the UK
    Many thanks

    Mel EVans

  6. mel evans on May 16th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
  7. @Mel In Amsterdam they are starting this kind of therapy, try http://www.amcpsychiatrie-angst.nl/zorg_behandelvormen_deep_brain_stimulation.htm
    Kind regards Dr Shock

  8. Dr Shock on May 17th, 2009 at 10:09 am
  1. Any experience with DBS in depression? Our colleague Loes G has treated several OCD patients, mostly succesfully with DBS, but only 2 or 3 with TRD. It remains a heavy procedure in my opinion… and it should at least have less side-effects than ECT (that does not have too many side-effects either)
    grtz

  2. shrink on May 24th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
  3. No as far as I know it is not available in TheNetherlands for TRD. In Amsterdam patients with OCD were treated with DBS.
    See also:
    http://www.amc.uva.nl/index.cfm?sid=227&uitgaveid=63&contentitemid=551&itemid=101
    Regards Dr Shock

  4. Dr. Shock on May 24th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
  5. I am interested in DBS for deep depression as I understand it tak place in the Neterlands an dould beconenientfor me to come fro the UK
    Many thanks

    Mel EVans

  6. mel evans on May 16th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
  7. @Mel In Amsterdam they are starting this kind of therapy, try http://www.amcpsychiatrie-angst.nl/zorg_behandelvormen_deep_brain_stimulation.htm
    Kind regards Dr Shock

  8. Dr Shock on May 17th, 2009 at 10:09 am
  1. Any experience with DBS in depression? Our colleague Loes G has treated several OCD patients, mostly succesfully with DBS, but only 2 or 3 with TRD. It remains a heavy procedure in my opinion… and it should at least have less side-effects than ECT (that does not have too many side-effects either)
    grtz

  2. shrink on May 24th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
  3. No as far as I know it is not available in TheNetherlands for TRD. In Amsterdam patients with OCD were treated with DBS.
    See also:
    http://www.amc.uva.nl/index.cfm?sid=227&uitgaveid=63&contentitemid=551&itemid=101
    Regards Dr Shock

  4. Dr. Shock on May 24th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
  5. I am interested in DBS for deep depression as I understand it tak place in the Neterlands an dould beconenientfor me to come fro the UK
    Many thanks

    Mel EVans

  6. mel evans on May 16th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
  7. @Mel In Amsterdam they are starting this kind of therapy, try http://www.amcpsychiatrie-angst.nl/zorg_behandelvormen_deep_brain_stimulation.htm
    Kind regards Dr Shock

  8. Dr Shock on May 17th, 2009 at 10:09 am
  1. Any experience with DBS in depression? Our colleague Loes G has treated several OCD patients, mostly succesfully with DBS, but only 2 or 3 with TRD. It remains a heavy procedure in my opinion… and it should at least have less side-effects than ECT (that does not have too many side-effects either)
    grtz

  2. shrink on May 24th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
  3. No as far as I know it is not available in TheNetherlands for TRD. In Amsterdam patients with OCD were treated with DBS.
    See also:
    http://www.amc.uva.nl/index.cfm?sid=227&uitgaveid=63&contentitemid=551&itemid=101
    Regards Dr Shock

  4. Dr. Shock on May 24th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
  5. I am interested in DBS for deep depression as I understand it tak place in the Neterlands an dould beconenientfor me to come fro the UK
    Many thanks

    Mel EVans

  6. mel evans on May 16th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
  7. @Mel In Amsterdam they are starting this kind of therapy, try http://www.amcpsychiatrie-angst.nl/zorg_behandelvormen_deep_brain_stimulation.htm
    Kind regards Dr Shock

  8. Dr Shock on May 17th, 2009 at 10:09 am

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