Deep Brain Stimulation Can Help Depressed Patients

Deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure can aid depressed patients who are resistant to other therapies, says study.

The study, conducted by a team led by psychiatrist Sidney Kennedy and neurosurgeon Andres Lozano at the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada, found that the effects can still be seen six years after implanting stimulating electrodes deep inside the brain.

Depression - A Holistic Approach-Signs, Symptoms and Treatment
Depression is a common disorder and many worldwide suffer from depression. Early recognition of symptoms and signs of depression can help in taking a holistic approach to the management of depression.

The researchers showed that, within a year of implantation, depression lifted in 12 of 20 patients - and that the benefits were sustained for up to six years.

But two of the patients died by presumed suicide.

The good news is that those who showed an early response to deep-brain stimulation maintained that response, says Kennedy.

Overview Suicide
Suicide is an act of ending one's own life and it usually results from emotional isolations and inability to adjust and cope with one's environment.

"However the suspected suicides indicate that we have not been able to prevent the course of illness," Nature quoted him as saying.

The study has been published online in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Quiz on Depression
The World Health Organization reports that depression is one of the main causes of disability affecting about 121 million people worldwide. More tragically, it claims around 850,000 lives every year. Hence, it is important that we understand this affliction to help ourselves or our loved ones to cope and, hopefully, resolve it. How well do you know the facts about depression? Take this quiz and find out.

Source-ANI

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