3 ms·
Deep brain stimulation good for depression
- disgruntledphd2 15y agoFor some reason, Google Scholar doesn't have the link (sometimes it misses preprints for a while). That being said, there are substantial placebo effects related to deep brain stimulation. See: psych.umb.edu/faculty/adams/Psypharm%202009/annurev.pharmtox.48.113006%20Benedetti%202008.pdf Thats not the original paper, but a review of the subject (and lots more, if you're interested) which is freely available. Depression is also known to be highly placebo responsive, so in essence unless this trial was double blind, then it doesn't really tell us anything.
- pygy_ 15y agoFurthermore, DBS is very invasive, and complications, when they occur (hemorrhage) are dramatic. Assuming it's effective, the procedure is best left to severe and otherwise intractable cases.