Background Treatment-resistant major depressive disorder is a prevalent and debilitating condition. Deep brain stimulation to different targets has been proposed as a putative treatment. Methods In ...this pilot study, we assessed safety and efficacy of deep brain stimulation to the supero-lateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle in seven patients with highly refractory depression. Primary outcome criterion was severity of treatment-resistant major depressive disorder as assessed with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. General psychopathologic parameters, social functioning, and tolerance were assessed with standardized scales, the Global Assessment of Functioning scale, quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire), and neuropsychological tests. Results All patients showed strikingly similar intraoperative effects of increased appetitive motivation. Six patients attained the response criterion; response was rapid—mean Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale of the whole sample was reduced by>50% at day 7 after onset of stimulation. At last observation (12–33 weeks), six patients were responders; among them, four were classified as remitters. Social functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning) improved in the sample as a whole from serious to mild impairment. Mean stimulation current was 2.86 mA; all side effects (strabismus at higher stimulation current, one small intracranial bleeding during surgery, infection at the implanted pulse generator site) could be resolved at short term. Conclusions These preliminary findings suggest that bilateral stimulation of the supero-lateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle may significantly reduce symptoms in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. Onset of antidepressant efficacy was rapid (days), and a higher proportion of the population responded at lower stimulation intensities than observed in previous studies.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the nucleus accumbens (NAcc-DBS) was associated with antidepressant, anxiolytic, and procognitive effects in a small sample of patients suffering from ...treatment-resistant depression (TRD), followed over 1 year. Results of long-term follow-up of up to 4 years of NAcc-DBS are described in a group of 11 patients. Clinical effects, quality of life (QoL), cognition, and safety are reported. Eleven patients were stimulated with DBS bilateral to the NAcc. Main outcome measures were clinical effect (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Montgomery-Asperg Rating Scale of Depression, and Hamilton Anxiety Scale) QoL (SF-36), cognition and safety at baseline, 12 months (n=11), 24 months (n=10), and last follow-up (maximum 4 years, n=5). Analyses were performed in an intent-to-treat method with last observation carried forward, thus 11 patients contributed to each point in time. In all, 5 of 11 patients (45%) were classified as responders after 12 months and remained sustained responders without worsening of symptoms until last follow-up after 4 years. Both ratings of depression and anxiety were significantly reduced in the sample as a whole from first month of NAcc-DBS on. All patients improved in QoL measures. One non-responder committed suicide. No severe adverse events related to parameter change were reported. First-time, preliminary long-term data on NAcc-DBS have demonstrated a stable antidepressant and anxiolytic effect and an amelioration of QoL in this small sample of patients suffering from TRD. None of the responders of first year relapsed during the observational period (up to 4 years).
Background While most patients with depression respond to combinations of pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), there are patients requiring other treatments. Deep ...brain stimulation (DBS) allows modulation of brain regions that are dysfunctional in depression. Since anhedonia is a feature of depression and there is evidence of dysfunction of the reward system, DBS to the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) might be promising. Methods Ten patients suffering from very resistant forms of depression (treatment-resistant depression TRD), not responding to pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or ECT, were implanted with bilateral DBS electrodes in the NAcc. The mean (±SD) length of the current episode was 10.8 (±7.5) years; the number of past treatment courses was 20.8 (±8.4); and the mean Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was 32.5 (±5.3). Results Twelve months following initiation of DBS treatment, five patients reached 50% reduction of the HDRS (responders, HDRS = 15.4 ±2.8). The number of hedonic activities increased significantly. Interestingly, ratings of anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Scale) were reduced in the whole group but more pronounced in the responders. The 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography data revealed that NAcc-DBS decreased metabolism in the subgenual cingulate and in prefrontal regions including orbital prefrontal cortex. A volume of interest analysis comparing responders and nonresponders identified metabolic decreases in the amygdala. Conclusions We demonstrate antidepressant and antianhedonic effects of DBS to NAcc in patients suffering from TRD. In contrast to other DBS depression studies, there was also an antianxiety effect. These effects are correlated with localized metabolic changes.
Abstract Background Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the supero-lateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle (slMFB) in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is associated with acute antidepressant ...effects. Objective Long-term clinical effects including changes in quality of life, side effects and cognition as well as long-term data covering four years are assessed. Methods Eight TRD patients were treated with DBS bilateral to the slMFB. Primary outcome measure was a 50% reduction in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) (response) and remission (MADRS <10) at 12 months compared to baseline. Secondary measures were anxiety, general functioning, quality of life, safety and cognition assessed for 4 years. Data is reported as conventional endpoint-analysis and as area under the curve (AUC) timeline analysis. Results Six of eight patients (75%) were responders at 12 months, four patients reached remission. Long-term results revealed a stable effect up to four years. Antidepressant efficacy was also reflected in the global assessment of functioning. Main side effect was strabismus at higher stimulation currents. No change in cognition was identified. AUC analysis revealed a significant reduction in depression for 7/8 patients in most months. Conclusions Long-term results of slMFB-DBS suggest acute and sustained antidepressant effect; timeline analysis may be an alternative method reflecting patient's overall gain throughout the study. Being able to induce a rapid and robust antidepressant effect even in a small, sample of TRD patients without significant psychiatric comorbidity, render the slMFB an attractive target for future studies.
Short- and long-term antidepressant effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) have been demonstrated for several brain targets in open-label studies. For two ...stimulation targets, pivotal randomized trials have been conducted; both failed a futility analysis. We assessed efficacy and safety of DBS of the supero-lateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle (slMFB) in a small Phase I clinical study with a randomized-controlled onset of stimulation in order to obtain data for the planning of a large RCT. Sixteen patients suffering from TRD received DBS of the slMFB and were randomized to sham or real stimulation for the duration of 2 months after implantation. Primary outcome measure was mean reduction in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) during 12 months of DBS (timeline analysis). Secondary outcomes were the difference in several clinical measures between sham and real stimulation at 8 weeks and during stimulation phases. MADRS ratings decreased significantly from 29.6 (SD +/- 4) at baseline to 12.9 (SD +/- 9) during 12 months of DBS (mean MADRS, n = 16). All patients reached the response criterion, most patients (n = 10) responded within a week; 50% of patients were classified as remitters after 1 year of stimulation. The most frequent side effect was transient strabismus. Both groups (active/sham) demonstrated an antidepressant micro-lesioning effect but patients had an additional antidepressant effect after initiation of stimulation. Both rapid onset and stability of the antidepressant effects of slMFB-DBS were demonstrated as in our previous pilot study. Given recent experiences from pivotal trials in DBS for MDD, we believe that slow, careful, and adaptive study development is germane. After our exploratory study and a large-scale study, we conducted this gateway trial in order to better inform planning of the latter. Important aspects for the planning of RCTs in the field of DBS for severe and chronic diseases are discussed including meaningful phases of intra-individual and between-group comparisons and timeline instead of single endpoint analyses.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a putative approach for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has now been researched for about a decade. Several uncontrolled studies--all in relatively small patient ...populations and different target regions-have shown clinically relevant antidepressant effects in about half of the patients and very recently, DBS to a key structure of the reward system, the medial forebrain bundle, has yielded promising results within few days of stimulation and at much lower stimulation intensities. On the downside, DBS procedures in regions are associated with surgical risks (eg, hemorrhage) and psychiatric complications (suicidal attenuation, hypomania) as well as high costs. This overview summarizes research on the mechanisms of brain networks with respect to psychiatric diseases and--as a novelty--extrapolates to the role of the reward system in DBS for patients with treatment-resistant depression. It further evaluates relevant methodological aspects of today's research in DBS for TRD. On the scientific side, the reward system has an important yet clearly under-recognized role in both neurobiology and treatment of depression. On the methodological side of DBS research in TRD, better animal models are clearly needed to explain clinical effects of DBS in TRD. Larger sample sizes, long-term follow-up and designs including blinded sham control are required to draw final conclusions on efficacy and side effects. Practical research issues cover study design, patient tracking, and the discussion of meaningful secondary outcome measures.
Abstract Major depression is a common mental health problem and associated with significant morbidity and mortality, including impaired social and physical functioning and increased risk for suicide. ...Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is highly efficacious in treatment-resistant depressive disorders, but cognitive side effects are frequently associated with the treatment. Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is a form of convulsive therapy, using magnetic fields in order to induce therapeutic seizures. First studies suggested that cognitive side effects of MST, including postictal recovery time, are more benign than those resulting from ECT treatment. In this open-label study we tested the hypothesis that MST is associated with clinically significant antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) as an add-on therapy to a controlled pharmacotherapy. Twenty patients suffering from TRD were randomly assigned to receive either MST or ECT starting from July 2006 until November 2008. Primary outcome measure was antidepressant response assessed by Montgomery Åsberg Depression Scale. Secondary outcome measures included Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and 90-Item Symptom Checklist. Antidepressant response (improvement of 50% in MADRS ratings) was statistically significant and of similar size in both treatment groups. Cognitive side effects were observed in neither group. Characteristics in MST- and ECT-induced seizures were comparable, especially regarding ictal activity and postictal suppression. Thus, MST may be a potential alternative to ECT if efficacy and safety are validated in larger clinical trials.
Background
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the gold standard for treatment‐resistant depression (TRD). However, cognitive side effects, mainly anterograde and retrograde amnesia, frequently occur. ...Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is tested using more focal seizure induction. However, the suggestion MST may be more beneficial than ECT because it causes fewer amnesia have not yet been comprehensively investigated using common neuropsychological testing specifically for ECT. We aimed to examine whether MST causes anterograde and retrograde amnesia.
Methods
Ten patients with TRD were treated with MST (8.9 2 treatments) at 100% machine output, a frequency of 100 Hz and 657.4 (62) pulses per train. The short form of the Autobiographical Memory Inventory was administered to test retrograde amnesia. Furthermore, an extended neuropsychological test battery, including verbal and nonverbal recall as well as recognition tasks, was used.
Results
We observed changes in retrograde amnesia, although they were not clinically relevant (mean: −0.42 ± 0.14). Furthermore, no anterograde amnesia as well as no effects on global cognitive status, attention, language, and executive functions after MST were measured.
Conclusions
The cognitive safety and efficacy of MST in patients with TRD were indicated. However, the main limitations of the present study were the small sample and as a consequence, the low statistical power to detect changes after treatment. Therefore, our findings require replication in further studies. In addition, a direct comparison between MST and ECT in a larger sample should be performed before MST can be discussed as an alternative treatment approach to ECT in clinical practice.
Human self-consciousness relies on the ability to distinguish between oneself and others. We sought to explore the neural correlates involved in self-other representations by investigating two ...critical processes: perspective taking and agency. Although recent research has shed light on the neural processes underlying these phenomena, little is known about how they overlap or interact at the neural level. In a two-factorial functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment, participants played a ball-tossing game with two virtual characters (“avatars”). During an active/agency (ACT) task, subjects threw a ball to one of the avatars by pressing a button. During a passive/nonagency (PAS) task, they indicated which of the other avatars threw the ball. Both tasks were performed from a first-person perspective (1PP), in which subjects interacted from their own perspective, and a third-person perspective (3PP), in which subjects interacted from the perspective of an avatar with another location in space. fMRI analyses revealed overlapping activity in medial prefrontal regions associated with representations of one's own perspective and actions (1PP and ACT), and overlapping activity in temporal-occipital, premotor, and inferior frontal, as well as posterior parietal regions associated with representation of others' perspectives and actions (3PP and PAS). These findings provide evidence for distinct neural substrates underlying representations of the self and others and provide support for the idea that the medial prefrontal cortex crucially contributes to a neural basis of the self. The lack of a statistically significant interaction suggests that perspective taking and agency represent independent constituents of self-consciousness.
•What is the primary question addressed by this study?Does childhood maltreatment affect the psychological treatment outcomes in late-life depression?•What is the main finding of this study?In older ...individuals with depression and childhood maltreatment, both specific and non-specific psychotherapy equally reduce depressive symptoms. However, in patients without childhood maltreatment, cognitive behavioral therapy for late-life-depression demonstrates greater efficacy over non-specific supportive psychotherapy.•What is the meaning of the finding?Practioners should consider a history of early trauma in their choice between specific and non-specific interventions.
This is the first interventional study to assess the impact of childhood maltreatment (CM) on psychological treatment outcomes in patients with late-life depression (LLD).
This is a secondary analysis of a multicenter, randomized controlled trial with 251 participants aged ≥60 years with moderate to severe depression. Participants were randomly assigned to cognitive behavioral therapy for late life depression (LLD-CBT) or to a supportive intervention (SUI). Treatment outcomes were measured by changes in the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).
In the intention-to-treat sample (n = 229), both LLD-CBT (n = 115) and SUI (n = 114) significantly reduced depressive symptoms in patients with CM, with large effects at post-treatment (d = 0.95 95% CI: 0.65 to 1.25 in LLD-CBT; d = 0.82 95% CI: 0.52 to 1.12 in SUI). A significant treatment group*CM interaction (F(1,201.31) = 4.71; p = .031) indicated greater depressive symptom reduction in LLD-CBT compared to SUI at week 5 and post-treatment for patients without CM, but not at 6-month follow-up. Across both treatments, higher severity of the CM subtype ‘physical neglect’ was associated with a smaller depressive symptom reduction (F(1,207.16) = 5.37; p = .021).
Specific and non-specific psychotherapy effectively reduced depressive symptoms in older individuals with depression and early trauma. For patients without early trauma, LLD-CBT may be preferable over SUI. Considering early trauma subtypes may contribute to develop personalized treatment approaches.
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