People suffering from depression and bipolar disorder who don't respond to drugs and therapy can find relief now from their symptoms. Scientists claim to have developed a "brain pacemaker" that can cure depression through an electronic stimulus. The discovery raises hopes for countless who are suffering from severe depression & bipolar disorder. But this process involves drilling holes into the skull & then attaching electrodes to the brains. Actually electrodes are planted into the brain to stimulate one of the areas involved in mood control. But psychiatrists warn such "surgery" is a drastic measure that must be used with caution.
Usually I’m excited about such scientific developments & I’m really happy for all those whose chronic illnesses have been treated by this method & now they are all doing much better. But it’s kind of scary. Drilling 2 small holes into your skull & then inserting 2 thin electrode wires into your brain. The other ends of the wires are threaded under the scalp down to the lower neck area. Next, the patient undergoes a general anaesthetic to have a pulse generator implant, the "pacemaker", sewn in under the skin of their chest. Fine you end up with a brighter mood & I’m sure it’s an amazing answer to all the problems of untreatable clinical depression but nevertheless it's very, very scary.
Honestly speaking, the idea itself makes me go off my head but good to know there is finally a cure. Depression is the kind of illness that asks for drastic measures. You look healthy but you don’t have the stamina to do anything. Your neurotransmitter shoots every now & then, & you can’t even talk about it with your bestest buddy or sibling or loved one, cause how can anyone know the torment when you look perfect? It seems as if you’re imagining stuff. Depression is triggered sometimes even without any reason. Many a times, you are happy & yet you show symptoms of depression, & taking the god-damn meds is never an exciting thing, cause you know your health will deteriorate more. The idea of committing suicide crosses your mind every day & it’s not an exaggeration. Believe me, it’s every god-damn day even when it seems you’re doing much better. You can’t even say it aloud, cause it sounds like you’re asking for attention & you want people to pity you. No wonder most of the patients are isolated. What other option do they have? Btw, bipolar disorder is even worse than depression.
Anyhow, this is what biggies have to say.
Dr Helen Maybery, who led the research, said: "These people were not just having a bad day. They were beyond suicidal; they were too apathetic and disengaged to be bothered. They described their state as dead and deader. I see depression as a brain disease not as a chemical imbalance like most psychiatrists. The brain is not a bowl of soup. You cannot just add a chemical and stir. It is a very intricate wiring system. Some circuits were not working for these people. Once we turned on the stimulator, the changes were astounding."
Study co-author Paul Holtzheimer from Dartmouth Medical School said: 'Most of these patients have been in a depressed state for many years and are disabled and isolated. As their depression improves, they need a process to help them achieve full recovery that includes integration back into society. We hope to optimise the rate of improvement for these patients by using a model of care that provides psychotherapeutic rehabilitation built on evidence-based psychotherapy but tailored to the specific individual's situation.'
The study was published Online First by Archives of General Psychiatry.
Source:
A cure for depression
Usually I’m excited about such scientific developments & I’m really happy for all those whose chronic illnesses have been treated by this method & now they are all doing much better. But it’s kind of scary. Drilling 2 small holes into your skull & then inserting 2 thin electrode wires into your brain. The other ends of the wires are threaded under the scalp down to the lower neck area. Next, the patient undergoes a general anaesthetic to have a pulse generator implant, the "pacemaker", sewn in under the skin of their chest. Fine you end up with a brighter mood & I’m sure it’s an amazing answer to all the problems of untreatable clinical depression but nevertheless it's very, very scary.
Honestly speaking, the idea itself makes me go off my head but good to know there is finally a cure. Depression is the kind of illness that asks for drastic measures. You look healthy but you don’t have the stamina to do anything. Your neurotransmitter shoots every now & then, & you can’t even talk about it with your bestest buddy or sibling or loved one, cause how can anyone know the torment when you look perfect? It seems as if you’re imagining stuff. Depression is triggered sometimes even without any reason. Many a times, you are happy & yet you show symptoms of depression, & taking the god-damn meds is never an exciting thing, cause you know your health will deteriorate more. The idea of committing suicide crosses your mind every day & it’s not an exaggeration. Believe me, it’s every god-damn day even when it seems you’re doing much better. You can’t even say it aloud, cause it sounds like you’re asking for attention & you want people to pity you. No wonder most of the patients are isolated. What other option do they have? Btw, bipolar disorder is even worse than depression.
Anyhow, this is what biggies have to say.
Dr Helen Maybery, who led the research, said: "These people were not just having a bad day. They were beyond suicidal; they were too apathetic and disengaged to be bothered. They described their state as dead and deader. I see depression as a brain disease not as a chemical imbalance like most psychiatrists. The brain is not a bowl of soup. You cannot just add a chemical and stir. It is a very intricate wiring system. Some circuits were not working for these people. Once we turned on the stimulator, the changes were astounding."
Study co-author Paul Holtzheimer from Dartmouth Medical School said: 'Most of these patients have been in a depressed state for many years and are disabled and isolated. As their depression improves, they need a process to help them achieve full recovery that includes integration back into society. We hope to optimise the rate of improvement for these patients by using a model of care that provides psychotherapeutic rehabilitation built on evidence-based psychotherapy but tailored to the specific individual's situation.'
The study was published Online First by Archives of General Psychiatry.
Source:
A cure for depression
