Deep brain stimulation could offer treatment for depression

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — There’s potential new hope for patients dealing with treatment-resistant depression.

Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, targets the region in the brain that is overactivated in patients who don’t respond to antidepressant medication. About one-third of people with major depressive disorder are resistant to medications, leaving them with few options to manage their symptoms.

With DBS, a pacemaker-like device is implanted just beneath the patient’s skin. The device connects a small wire to the brain, delivering electrical impulses to the targeted region.

“It’s not something that a patient can feel, but it’s helping to control the abnormal electrical activity in that particular brain region which then goes through the mood control network,” said Dr. Yarema Bezchlibnyk, a neurosurgeon at Tampa General Hospital.

Researchers say DBS has shown success in managing a patient’s symptoms in early trials. A larger trial is being planned to research the effectiveness of the treatment, however, using it as a standard care for treatment-resistant depression is still likely years away.

Deep brain stimulation is being used right now to treat many conditions, including essential tremors and Parkinson’s disease.