Would you be willing to undergo brain surgery to relieve your depression?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4627438 (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4627438)

Brain Implant Offers Hope for Severely Depressed
by Michelle Trudeau (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4569070)

<!-- start inset column -->
http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2005/may/dbs/device.jpg
Wires threaded under the patient's scalp and neck skin are connected to a battery pack implanted below the collarbone. The pack delivers continuous electrical current at programmed settings and can be adjusted externally by placing a controller over it. Henry Ford Health System



http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2005/may/dbs/implant200.jpg
An X-ray shows two deep brain stimulation electrodes implanted on either side of a patient's brain. Courtesy Dr. Helen Mayberg

All Things Considered (http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=2), May 2, 2005 · For about 10 percent of people with severe depression, no available treatments work -- not anti-depressant medicines, not psychotherapy, not even electroshock therapy. But now a revolutionary treatment that entails brain surgery shows preliminary promise in treating intractable depression.

Called deep brain stimulation, the experimental surgery involves the implanting of electrodes deep inside the brain to produce a constant, weak electrical stimulation to a target area in the brain -- called area 25 -- that plays a critical role in depression. By aiming a mild but constant electrical pulse directly into area 25, researchers think they can "recalibrate" the area back to normal functioning.

After surgery, the electrodes are left in area 25 and a wire is threaded out of the skull, under the skin and to the front of the chest. A tiny power pack beneath the skin controls the low-voltage electrical stimulation to area 25, and can be adjusted externally by placing a controller -- like a TV remote control -- over it. It's like a pacemaker for the depressed brain.

The surgery is still experimental -- the first one occurred in May 2003. Six patients underwent the procedure. After a few months, two did not improve, but the four others saw dramatic improvement.

"At six months, the four patients that responded to this treatment were actually near remission," said Dr. Helen Mayberg, who led the research while at the University of Toronto (she is now at Emory University). "Several of them were in remission -- meaning they weren't just better, they were well."

Mayberg and her colleagues reported their findings in "Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression," an article published in the March 5, 2005, edition of the journal Neuron.

Read the Study in the Journal 'Neuron.' (http://www.neuron.org/content/article/fulltext?uid=PIIS089662730500156X)

Related NPR Stories




Feb. 11, 2005
Treating Depression (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4495615)
Feb. 12, 2005
Depression Treatments Move Beyond Electro-Shock (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4496083)
Aug. 24, 2004
Clues to Depression Sought in Brain's Wiring (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3866330)

This one really caught my attention. It's been reported in several different venues.

I would seriously think about it, after they practiced on a lot of other people first. If and only if medications don't continue to work. ADD is a heck of a lot easier to live with than depression-which can be a terminal disease.

Depression is a disease, ADD is a disorder. Big difference to me.

RADD

I have suffered from depressions and my thoughts were - YUCK!

And the disease comment, not really liking that either.

And the disease comment, not really liking that either. In my opinion it's just semantics w.a.m.h.!
se·man·tics - The meaning or the interpretation of a word, sentence, or other language form: We're basically agreed; let's not quibble over semantics.Depression - There are three main types of depressive disorders: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness).Therefore, you can have a disease that causes disorders, and you can have a disorder that causes disease.

I'm not exactly sure why depression (A mental disorder) will sometimes be referred to as a disease, and yet all other mental disorders don't get the same moniker! It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

It probably has something to do with insurance or something! LMAO :D

Your guess is as good as mine! :)

disorder - dysfunction....symptoms to diagnosis
disease - dysfunction...test to diagnosis

I believe Depression is still a disorder.

That's my 2 cents!

Didn't mean to start anything. Sorry

Didn't mean to start anything. SorryNah, you just started me wondering (again) why they sometimes call depression a disease vs. a disorder.

And whether or not it makes any difference medically, financially, or legally if it's a disease or a disorder!

A disease sounds a little worse than a disorder to me!

A disorder sounds like someone put their brain in backward.

A disease sounds like a pathogen has invaded their body.

Naw don't worry about it. You are not the only one who is confused here.

I don't even know if my defintions are correct either. Wiki doesn't help here either. Oxford states a disorder is a minor ailment or disorder?!?? ...and as I said before, I believe Depression is a disorder but I'm not sure on that either.

So when does something go from a disorder to a disease?

Oh I got that magazine too! It is my new favorite publication. :) Can't wait for the next issue. That is quite interesting about the area 25 in the brain.

I think it is more of a malfunction in the brain. We can't help being depressed at times but i think that if you have the right tools, CBT then it makes these times of depression a lot more managable.

I think it is more of a malfunction in the brain. We can't help being depressed at times but i think that if you have the right tools, CBT then it makes these times of depression a lot more manageable. I agree 100%! I got all my skills regarding CBT from a book called "Feeling Good" by Dr. David Burns.

Unfortunately, I never got much CBT help from the doctors I use to see. It was a clinical social worker that I was seeing for marriage counseling that recommended the "Feeling Good" book. However, she did nothing for my marriage, but she did do wonders for my depression! In fact, I haven't been depressed since! But that may have more to do with being treated for ADD after finally being diagnosed.

With ADD, it's best to treat the problem (ADD) rather then the symptoms of ADD. The depression, anxiety, OCD, and other problems pretty much subsided for me when they started treating the cause (Which was ADD).

Anyway, the people that have the area 25 brain surgery procedure don't respond to CBT, electric shock, or antidepressants, which is probably why they are willing to go thru with this type of procedure!

OK, funny things happening in my brain here-first area 25 sounds like are 51-has my brain been invaded by aliens, and seek, I got confused by CBT-

In therapy-CBT = Cognitive-Behavioral therapy-hail Skinner and Piaget

In Workforce Ed-CBT = Computer Based Training.

I thought some people might not know what CBT is, now they can google to their hearts content!

RADD

In Workforce Ed-CBT = Computer Based Training. LOL :D So, when I wrote "I got all my skills regarding CBT from a book called "Feeling Good" by Dr. David Burns." did you think that people would wonder why I bought a book about "Feeling Good" about my "Computer Based Training"?? LOL :D

That would be rather amusing! :)

I sure did! :D Wonky wonky-must be the aliens in area 25!

I'm a neuroscientist in training, and all I could think about during the 60 minutes interview was:

Area 25? Is that where the aliens in my brain landed? :faint:


FYI the "real" name of the brain region they targeted was the "Subgenual cingulate cortex . . ." no wonder the call it area 25!

Hmmm... I recently read an article on tDCS(transcranial direct current stimulation) that reports findings of a 40% increase in cognitive function after only a few minutes of electrical current applied across the skull (i'm not sure where they placed the electrodes) that supposedly lasts for several hours?

Anyways... I'd be up to trying it. I'm just looking for a variable resistor... that my radio shack doesn't seem to carry. Heh... 9volts is just a little too much in my opinion. I tried it once... and I didn't like the "buzz" I got. Don't think it was voltage as much as amperage... but next time I'm bored... and I've had a chance to get the part... I guess I'll find out. :D

Anywhoo