Brain pacemaker treats crippling depression

Once taboo, seeking mental health treatment is now common. Still, treating major depressive disorder (MDD) and other severe mental health issues remains difficult. Traditional methods, such as medications and talk therapy, sometimes prove insufficient.

That’s why doctors are turning to “brain pacemakers” and deep brain stimulation to fight severe cases of depression. Early attempts at deep brain stimulation focused on cookie-cutter approaches, stimulating the same parts of the brain in different patients. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, however, recently monitored one patient’s brain activities during bouts of depression.

Doctors worked to understand the patient’s emotional circuitry, including the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. They found that the patient’s most severe depressive bouts were accompanied by a massive increase in activity in her amygdala. Using electrical pulses, researchers reduced brain activity in the amygdala, which correlated with a reduction in symptoms.

Earlier studies also showed promise. In one proof of concept study, doctors treated six patients with deep brain stimulation targeting the same area of the brain. All six reported relief from depression symptoms. Within six months, however, two patients experienced a recurrence of symptoms. The other four patients continued to report improved symptoms.

Currently, some deep brain stimulation treatments rely on the NeuroPace RNS to monitor electrical signals in the brain, and when needed, will deliver electrical pulses. This so-called brain pacemaker helps regulate the brain’s functioning. The NeuroPace RNS is also used to treat seizures.

Over 16 million Americans suffer at least one major depressive episode per year. While many can be treated with traditional talk therapy and medications, a small number suffer severe depression that is unresponsive to traditional treatments. Deep brain stimulation may help.