Relief on the Horizon for Individuals Struggling with Treatment-Resistant Depression
A diagnosis of major depressive disorder can mean an uphill battle of trying out different
medications and therapies without guaranteed relief and, in some cases, a worsening of
symptoms. With depression and suicide rates climbing at alarming rates across the country, it's
beginning to seem like the long-recognized treatments, such as SSRIs and cognitive behavior
therapy, aren’t enough. In reality, new studies have shown that nearly one-third of people
diagnosed with depression are found to be “treatment-resistant”, leaving them hopeless and alone
to battle their symptoms.
Fortunately, there is a recent breakthrough making waves in the worlds of neuroscience
and psychology that shows promising results for the patients who have had the most difficulty
finding relief. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a new medical procedure in which small
conductors are surgically and permanently implanted deep in the brain. These electrodes are then
connected to a pulse generator that sends electrical impulses to modulate brain activity. Though
initially developed with the hope of treating movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease,
researchers have found that this mechanism also shows remarkable results and relief for patients
who have otherwise been resistant to traditional treatments for depression. Though the
mechanism by which this works is not yet fully understood, it’s an exciting prospect that people
who would otherwise be subjected to a life of debilitating struggle and being told there are no
other options could now potentially live happy, everyday lives.
Though this treatment may seem like a quick and easy fix for people struggling with their
mental health, it is important to note that DBS is only considered an appropriate treatment for
people battling severe depression with no improvement from medication and other treatments.
DBS is an invasive treatment that, like any surgery, has a cost associated with it that is not
always covered by insurance, making it a less viable option for many people.
There is still much research that needs to be done in this area. Much of the research being
conducted now is neuroimaging to figure out which brain regions benefit most from stimulation.
Over time, the hope is that DBS will become more widely recognized as a viable and safe
treatment for otherwise treatment-resistant depression, but this development still shows immense
promise in an area where people would otherwise spend their lives suffering,
Posted by Megan Winkler (3)
Sources
Deep Brain Stimulation for Depression. 2023. NYU Langone Health [10.4.2023].
https://nyulangone.org/conditions/depression/treatments/deep-brain-stimulation-for-
depression#:~:text=This%20technique%20requires%20surgically%20placing,do%20not%20resp
ond%20to%20medication.
Delaloye S, Holtzheimer PE. 2014. Deep brain stimulation in the treatment of depression
Dialogues of Clinical Neurosci 16(1):83-91. (Delaloye and Holtzheimer 2014)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3984894/
The human brain is truly fascinating with how little we know about it. It is truly amazing how much progress has been made in treating depression in such a short amount of time. As mental health issues become more normalized, I really hope more and more people start doing research on potential cures.
ReplyDeleteHi Megan!
ReplyDeleteI really like how you shed light on the challenges faced by individuals who are diagnosed with major depressive disorder that is treatment resistant. You acknowledge that even though DBS and brain surgery show promise to treat depression, some people cannot afford these surgeries because they are not covered by insurance and DBS is also an invasive procedure. Other treatments and drugs are still being researched. Psilocybin extracted from certain species is also showing promising treatments and improved results than traditional depression treatments. It is encouraging to see more potential to alleviate the challenges of individuals with treatment-resistant depression.
-Carla Botros
Hi Carla! I'm always so fascinated to hear about new developments in psychiatric treatments considering how widespread mental illness is and how relatively inaccessible good treatment can be. I've also been keeping up with the trials for psilocybin and other hallucinogens or sedatives like ketamine being used in the treatment of PTSD and bipolar disorder. So interesting!!
DeleteHi Megan, a very fascinating post about treatment for depression. For the longest time, I thought that the only types of treatment for depression were through psychiatry and prescribed medicine that alters the chemical composition in the brain to boost mood. I did not know that there is now a medical procedure that involves surgically implanting electrodes in the brain that send electrical impulses to modulate brain activity. I wonder how long this type of treatment has been established for and how effective is it? Also I wonder how likely this type of surgery procedure will become commonplace for future development of treatment for depression.
ReplyDelete-Will Nguyen
Hey Will! So glad you liked the post. It really is so fascinating how far we've come in medical developments and it makes it even more exciting when you think of how far we have yet to go.
DeleteHi Megan,
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother received a surgery for DBS a while ago to help treat her parkinson's disease. I remember being interested by it when I first heard about it, and im even more interested now learning about its potential benefits for people with depression as well. What other "incurable" diseases could potentially be treated in this method?
- Sean McKay