Closed-loop Neuromodulation in an Individual with Treatment-resistant Depression

Overview

Journal Nat Med

Specialties General Medicine
Molecular Biology

Date 2021 Oct 5

PMID 34608328

Citations 140

Authors

Katherine W Scangos

Ankit N Khambhati

Patrick M Daly

Ghassan S Makhoul

Leo P Sugrue

Hashem Zamanian

Tony X Liu

Vikram R Rao

Kristin K Sellers

Heather E Dawes

Philip A Starr

Andrew D Krystal

Edward F Chang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Deep brain stimulation is a promising treatment for neuropsychiatric conditions such as major depression. It could be optimized by identifying neural biomarkers that trigger therapy selectively when symptom severity is elevated. We developed an approach that first used multi-day intracranial electrophysiology and focal electrical stimulation to identify a personalized symptom-specific biomarker and a treatment location where stimulation improved symptoms. We then implanted a chronic deep brain sensing and stimulation device and implemented a biomarker-driven closed-loop therapy in an individual with depression. Closed-loop therapy resulted in a rapid and sustained improvement in depression. Future work is required to determine if the results and approach of this n-of-1 study generalize to a broader population.

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