First Patients Implanted In Study Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation For Depression
It is investigating that deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy will help people who suffer from major depressive disorder, a severe form of depression. Two patients, a 59-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man, were implanted at hospital in Chicago, with the St. Jude Medical Libra® Deep Brain Stimulation System, an investigational device.The name of study is BROADEN™ (BROdmann Area 25 DEep brain Neuromodulation) and it controlled, multi-site, blinded study that is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of DBS in patients with depression for whom currently available treatments are not effective.
BROADEN™ is researching a particular part of the brain called Brodmann Area 25 that is thought to be involved in depression. It is estimated that more than 21 million U.S. adults suffer from some kind of depressive disorder and approximately 4 million adult Americans live with depression that doesn’t respond to any medications, psychotherapy or electroconvulsive therapy.
Eligiblity for this study are:
- Currently be diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
- Be between 21 and 70 years old, with onset of first episode before age 45.
- Have tried at least four treatments in their current episode, such as different medications, various combinations of medications or electroconvulsive therapy.
- Have been depressed for at least one year.
