Treatment for severe depression found in a historic discovery.

Treatment for severe depression found.

HISTORIC DISCOVERY: 

Treatment for severe depression found. 

Physicians at UCSF (University of California, San Francisco) have successfully treated a patient with severe depression by recognizing & tapping into the brain circuits linked with depressive brain patterns. 

They tried to reset the patterns; this is equivalent to using a pacemaker for the heart. 

The work has been published in the journal ‘Nature medicine’. 

It is a landmark work in the use of neuroscience to treat psychiatric disorders. 

They used an existing technique a.k.a. DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation), customizing it for the patient’s case. 

DBS is a surgical procedure in which electrodes/leads are implanted into certain brain areas and generate electrical impulses that control abnormal brain activity. The leads can also adjust for the chemical imbalances within the brain that cause various conditions. 

3 components of a DBS system: 

1) Electrode/lead: 

A thin insulated wire is inserted through a small opening in the skull. Implanted into a specific brain area. 

2) Extension wire: 

Insulated. Passed under the skin of head, neck & shoulder. Connects the lead to IPG. 

3) IPG (Internal Pulse Generator): 

Implanted under the skin in the upper chest. 

The physicians customized a new DBS device that would stimulate the brain whenever it recognized the depressive pattern. With this, they can stimulate a different area of the brain which in turn created immediate therapy for the brain. 

They also found a neural biomarker that indicated the onset of symptoms. 

 

 

NOTE: Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations & short-lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life. It is a common condition worldwide. 

Affects ~ 3.8 % population (~280 Mn). 

Symptoms of depression: 

-> Depressed mood/feeling of sadness. 

-> Appetite change. 

-> Lose interest in activities once enjoyed. 

-> Sleep duration changes remarkably. 

-> Energy loss / fatigue. 

-< Purposeless tasks (like pacing) increase. 

-> Slowed movements, speech. 

-> Feeling guilty / worthless. 

-> Difficulty thinking / concentrating. 

-> Suicidal thoughts. 

 

DO YOU KNOW: 

Good nutrition may improve your state of mind. Vitamin B may help ease depressed moods. 

Vitamin B-3 and Vitamin B-9 can help people with depression because B vitamins help the brain manage moods. 

Vitamin D, melatonin, and St. John’s Wort are recommended for seasonal depression. 

Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and vitamin C may also help with depression. 

BUT Vitamins only boost the effectiveness of medical treatment for depression; NOT act as its potential replacement.