New Treatment For Depression: Brain Pacemakers?
February 23rd, 2011 - 12:03 am ICT by Angela Kaye MasonFeb 22 (THAINDIAN NEWS) A report from the Associated Press reveals that a new device may be used to help combat the symptoms of depression in chronic patients. Called “brain pacemakers,” scientists are hoping that these tiny devices can help to fight off the psychiatric illness which ruins so many lives. Problem is, the scientists are not sure just what area of the brain should house the new technology.
Deep Brain Stimulation, or DBS for short, has been proven to be a very successful method for stopping the shakiness of Parkinson’s disease. Stopping depression won’t be so simple, but these researchers are pushing for the studies to be expanded to include using the stimulators to fight against severe depression, Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, and other psychiatric issues.
But Dr Michael Okun, from the University of Florida, warns, “It’s not a light switch.” Unlike the patients with Parkinson’s disease, those with depression and other such conditions will improve very slowly, which can sometimes lead to them becoming frustrated and giving up on the treatment. And once the treatment does begin to work, they will need therapy to learn to function with the depression gone.
As Dr Helen Mayberg of Emory University explains, “Once your brain is returned to you, now you have to learn to use it.”
- Pioneering treatment could benefit people with severe depression - Jan 25, 2011
- Brain pacemakers may help fight depression: Study - Feb 01, 2011
- Tickling brain part boosts memory cells - Sep 21, 2011
- 'Brain pacemaker' - effective treatment for Parkinson's disease - Jun 03, 2010
- Deep brain stimulation may effectively treat Tourette's syndrome - Oct 28, 2009
- Brit nurse first person to be 'cured' of depression by pioneering surgery - Jan 25, 2011
- Brain pacemakers relieve depression in patients - Feb 22, 2011
- A pacemaker in brain can treat epilepsy - Mar 21, 2012
- Trials to test gene therapy for Parkinson's disease underway - Oct 07, 2009
- Now, a pacemaker surgery for Parkinson's patients - Jul 02, 2010
- Stimulating brain's pleasure centre may help treat depression - Jan 27, 2010
- Deep brain stimulation may help patients with treatment-resistant depression - Jul 22, 2008
- Brain surgery overcomes incurable case of depression - Jan 25, 2011
- Why Parkinson's treatment elicit compulsive behaviours - Jan 14, 2010
- Parkinsons treatment Deep Brain Stimulation also effective for psychiatric conditions - Jul 03, 2008
Tags: chronic patients, dbs, deep brain stimulation, dr helen, dr michael, emory university, helen mayberg, light switch, obsessive compulsive disorder, okun, pacemakers, psychiatric illness, psychiatric issues, severe depression, shakiness, stimulators, symptoms of depression, tiny devices, treatment for depression, university of florida