By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Charles_Donovan]Charles Donovan Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was discussed during a segment of CBS' Sixty-Minutes progam on Sunday, October 1, 2006. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is one of a group of treatments involving surgical implantation of a medical device called a brain pacemaker, which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain. The surgery involves cranionatomy for implantation of an electrode into the subthalamic nucleus or basal ganglia of the brain. The electrode is powered by a battery-operated neurostimulator typically placed under the collar bone. A connecting wire of platinum and iridium, insulated with polyurethane, conducts signals from the neurostimulator, which is hermetically sealed in a titanium housing. The procedure for depression was discovered by Helen Mayberg of the University of Toronto. It has only been performed on seven patients. But the discovery of Area 25 of the brain and its imlications for patients with severe depression could be very promising. Although the procedure is probably many years away from being proven both safe and effective, I would encourage everyone to watch a video of this special segment on Sixty-Minutes. Dr. Helen Mayberg of the University of Toronto, Dr. Andres Lozano of Toronto Western Hospital, and Dr. Sidney Kennedy of Canada's University Health Network (UHN) in 2005 reported in Neuron that electrical stimulation of a small area of the frontal cortex brought about a "striking and sustained remission" in four out of six patients suffering from clinical depression, whose symptoms had previously been resistant to medication, psychotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy.[1] The researchers reported that, using brain imaging, they noticed that activity in the subgenual cingulate region (SCR or Brodmann area 25) the lowest part of a band of tissue that runs along the midline of the brain seemed to correlate with symptoms of sadness and depression. They implanted electrodes into six patients while they were locally anesthetised, but alert. While the current was switched on, four of the patients reported feeling a black cloud lifting, and became more alert and interested in their environments. The changes reversed when the current was switched off. The effects of continuous SCR stimulation have produced sustained remission from depression in the four patients for six months, the team reported. When reporting the results, the team did caution that the trial was so small that the findings must be considered only provisional. Vagus nerve stimulation, which does not involve brain surgery and is FDA approved for depression, is available nationwide. The identical procedure has been FDA approved for epilepsy since 1997 and has a long safety record. For more information visit [http://www.VagusNerveStimulation.com]www.VagusNerveStimulation.com Charles Donovan was a patient in the FDA investigational trial of vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression. He was implanted with the vagus nerve stimulator in April of 2001. He chronicles his journey from the grips of depression thanks to vagus nerve stimulation therapy in his book: Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression His all inclusive book prepares depression sufferers to make an informed decision about this ninety-minute out-patient procedure. It is a "must read" before you discuss this treatment with your psychiatrist. A prescription for the procedure is required from an M.D. and it is covered by most insurance plans. He is the founder of the [http://www.VagusNerveStimulation.com]www.VagusNerveStimulation.com Web Site and Bulletin. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Donovan http://EzineArticles.com/?Deep-Brain-Stimulation-to-Treat-Chronic-Depression:-Special-Segement-on-CBSs-Sixty-Minutes&id=315744 buy generic carisoprodol
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