Opportunities and Challenges for the Use of Deep Brain Stimulation in the Treatment of Refractory Major Depression

Overview

Journal Discov Ment Health

Publisher Springer

Date 2024 Mar 14

PMID 38483709

Authors

Prashin Unadkat

Joao Quevedo

Jair Soares

Albert Fenoy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Major Depressive Disorder continues to remain one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases globally. Despite multiple trials of conventional therapies, a subset of patients fail to have adequate benefit to treatment. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising treatment in this difficult to treat population and has shown strong antidepressant effects across multiple cohorts. Nearly two decades of work have provided insights into the potential for chronic focal stimulation in precise brain targets to modulate pathological brain circuits that are implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. In this paper we review the rationale that prompted the selection of various brain targets for DBS, their subsequent clinical outcomes and common adverse events reported. We additionally discuss some of the pitfalls and challenges that have prevented more widespread adoption of this technology as well as future directions that have shown promise in improving therapeutic efficacy of DBS in the treatment of depression.

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