Implant helps fight drug-resistant depression

Depression is a commonly diagnosed mental illness in the United States today, causing feelings of hopelessness and anguish virtually every day. More than just the ‘blues,’ depression brings on deep unhappiness that overshadows the mind and inhibits the ability to function in day to day life.

Some people who have been diagnosed with clinical depression say they “have tried everything” to no avail. For some, antidepressants may work for a short period of time, but then they relapse into deep depression. However, it appears some new hope is on the horizon.

A new implantable device, called a vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) portends to alleviate some depression. VNS was approved by the FDA last year for treating drug-resistant depression.

“I am very hopeful that it will help the patient. I’m very excited about it. The possibilities for people who suffer from treatment-resistant depression are great,” said El Paso psychiatrist Dr. Angel Rodriguez-Chevres.

The procedure involves implanting a small device about the size of a half dollar under the skin. The VNS implantation requires two incisions, with the largest being about 3 inches. Then, a threadlike wire is run from the device, placed in the shoulder area, up part of the patient’s neck to the vagus nerve. The pacemaker-like device, made by Cyberonics Inc. of Houston, will send pulsed signals to the nerve and stimulate part of the brain.

Cyberonics says VNS therapy has helped more than 50% of patients with recurring depression. About one-third of the patients reported a 50% improvement in their symptoms. Rodriguez-Chevres said the vagus nerve helps modulate neurotransmitters that are known to affect moods, including norepinephrine and serotonin.

The doctor will be responsible for monitoring and adjusting the pulse level of the VNS device for the patient, and will adjust it using a small magnetic device. Rodriguez-Chevres said it can take several months up to a year before a patient begins to feel better.

As well, patients who receive VNS therapy must continue medication. Dosages may be lowered if improvement is shown, he said.

Some of the effects VNS appears to have on patients include sore throat, hoarseness, coughing and shortness of breath. The treatment is no guarantee, but Rodriguez-Chevres and those with chronic depression believe it’s worth a try.

VNS therapy is only approved for depression in people 18 years or older who have tried at least four different courses of treatment with little success. Vagus nerve stimulation has been used for over 10 years to minimize brain seizures in epileptics.

Medications appear to help some people with mental illnesses such as depression, for some people that’s not the case. “When you’re dealing with depression, especially treatment-resistant depression, it is most definitely a challenge to treat,” Rodriguez-Chevres said.

© Copyright 2007 Insight Journal Online Magazine.

Join the Discussion:

Discuss and ask questions in our community forums

Recommended Links:

Sign up for our FREE Health and Wellness Newsletter
Cyberonics Home Page
VNS Therapy Facts
Insight Journal: Depression Home

View More Articles In Category: Depression News