Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Treating Depression.

[Ladyhawk]

"Vagus Nerve Stimulation may be the possible successor to ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy). Although approved for use for certain types of epilepsy in the United States, the VNS Therapy System’s use in treating depression is considered investigational and is awaiting approval from the FDA.

"In July 2003, Cyberonics, which manufactures the VNS device, announced that the Vagus Nerve Stimulator is effective in treating severe, treatment-resistant depression. That followed completion of a 235-patient clinical study of the safety and efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS Therapy) in patients with chronic or recurrent depression in the United States and Canada. In the study, subjects had a pacemaker-like pulse generator, called the VNS Therapy System, implanted under the skin in the upper left chest. A stimulation electrode connected to the generator is tunneled from the chest to the neck where it is attached to the left vagus nerve.

Previously, Cyberonics conducted a 60-patient pilot study of the safety and efficacy of the vagus nerve stimulation (VNS Therapy) in patients with chronic or recurrent depression. Results of the acute phase of the study indicated substantial improvement. In an abstract from the study, researchers say "positive open trial results in a severe, treatment-resistant depression patient group suggest that VNS is a safe and effective treatment for a significant proportion of these patients."
One Happy Customer

One news report cites Lauri Sandoval, 42, a participant in the pilot study, who has tried almost every antidepressant available and was set to start electroconvulsive therapy: "I was so desperate and depressed that I wasn't even scared of it, even though it hadn't been studied before."



More: http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Depression/treatment/vns/index.asp

And here: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/15131a.htm
And here: http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/p0104vagus.html

[ernstbass]

1. The research on this looks promising

I bet the drug companies hate it!!

[DemExpat]

2. I was going to mention that I would prefer something like this to

taking medication - for some reason....

:think:

:hi:

DemEx

[Digit]

3. I may have heard a Duke University study advertising for this.

[Ladyhawk]

4. I WANT it. Badly.

Having gone through ECT and severe Depression, I want something besides pills that don't work. I'm willing to be a guinea pig, even.

I've been after my counselors, doctors and psychiatrists for years, but not one of them has even looked into it for me. Maybe after my neck fusion I should try again. The problem is, they'd have to go through the same area of the neck to implant the device...scar tissue and even more of a chance of complications...sigh.

Maybe I could talk them into going into the other side of the neck. Does it matter which Vagus Nerve is stimulated?