Depression is the most common mental disorder worldwide. According to experts, in Russia alone, about 6 million people fall ill during the year. Depression is usually treated with medication and psychotherapy. In the future, deep brain stimulation will be a new treatment option, the researchers said.
The number of people with depression is growing
According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) study, the number of people with depression has risen sharply in recent years. Patients usually suffer from prolonged depressed mood, lethargy, anxiety, or sleep disturbances.
Depression is traditionally treated with medication and psychotherapy. However, seriously ill people react poorly to drugs and psychotherapeutic methods. German scientists report a new treatment option - transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Relief or reduction of symptoms over many years
In some cases, the disease is so serious that treatment has no effect. Researchers are now reporting that deep brain stimulation may be a treatment option for patients with the most severe depression.
Deep brain stimulation alleviates or even eliminates the symptoms of patients who have not previously responded to other forms of treatment.
Scientists from the University Hospital Freiburg have shown a positive effect in a long study.
According to the statement, 7 out of 8 treated patients showed a constant improvement of symptoms with continuous stimulation until 4-year follow-up. Therapy has remained unchanged throughout the entire time.
Mild side effects can be avoided by adjusting the intensity of the stimulation. The results of the study were published in the journal Brain Stimulation.
Perspective approach
Most patients respond to deep brain stimulation. According to preliminary data, more than 70% of patients got rid of depressive symptoms.
Other treatments often lose their effectiveness over time.
Thus, deep brain stimulation is a promising approach for people with previously incurable depression.
Deep brain stimulation is an easy technique based on electrical stimulation. It can be used to manipulate precisely selected areas of the brain, so it helps not only from depression, but also anxiety.
Effect in patients with severe depression
According to researchers, 8 volunteers from 3 to 11 years of age continuously suffered from severe depression. Neither electroshock therapy nor psychotherapy brought tangible benefits to patients.
Doctors implanted thin plate electrodes and stimulated a region of the brain that is involved in the perception of joy. It also plays a crucial role in motivating and assessing the quality of life of people.
The effect of therapy was evaluated by doctors on a monthly basis using the Montgomery Asberg Rating Scale (MARDS). As the researcher explains, this questionnaire assesses the severity of depressive syndrome for 10 questions.
It turned out that the MARDS score decreased on average from 30 to 12 points in the first month, and even slightly towards the end of the study. The MARDS score of 10 for diagnosing depression fell below 4.
An effective treatment option for several years
In some patients, blurred vision or double vision was observed for a short time. However, scientists were able to eliminate side effects by reducing the intensity of stimulation without attenuating the antidepressant effect of therapy.
No personality changes, impaired thinking, or other side effects were observed in any patient. The efficacy and safety of therapy will be investigated in another five-year study involving 50 patients. If treatment is approved, millions of patients can get a chance for a happy life.
New research will allow the use of therapy beyond depression. For patients with severe anxiety, deep brain stimulation is one of the possible treatment options. According to other studies, the new treatment reduces overall anxiety by 58%.
