Deep Brain Stimulation: A New Treatment in Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Abstract

This article considered already existing studies about Deep Brain Stimulation in Mood and Anxiety Disorders. In particular, articles regarding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Major Depression were mostly analyzed, due to the lack of researches about other types of Mood and Anxiety Disorders. We have concentrated on the target areas where Deep Brain Stimulation was most commonly applied, and on the effects this measure had on treatment-refractory patients. The obtained results showed that the stimulation of the: nucleus accumbens, subgenual cingulate cortex and ventral capsule/ventral striatum, has a positive influence on the development of the disorders investigated, sometimes showing the complete remission of the symptoms. Although Deep Brain Stimulation was overall found to be a promising and safe treatment for Mood and Anxiety Disorders, there are not enough studies proving its efficacy in wide samples and in the presence of more complex variables.

Optogenetic stimulation of glutamatergic neuronal activity in the striatum enhances neurogenesis in the subventricular zone of normal and stroke mice

“…It is thus suggested that the striatum can be a therapeutic target for promoting SVZ neurogenesis. Clinically, this is achievable using deep brain stimulation (DBS) and brain-implanted devices of closed-loop technology (Krook-Magnuson et al, 2015; Mikell et al, 2016; Velasques et al, 2014). Other novel methods including optogenetics and pharmacogenetic may also have clinical potential of specific stimulation (Little and Brown, 2014; Peled, 2011).…”

How Deep Brain Stimulation of the Nucleus Accumbens Affects the Cingulate Gyrus and Vice Versa

“…According to the current literature, NA DBS modulates the function of several brain (primarily cortical) areas including the CG cortex (Figure 1). It specifically causes activation in the ipsilateral CG cortex, and voltage-depended reduction of its blood oxygenation [16]. It also reverses anterior mid-CG cortex dysfunction [23] and decreases metabolism in the subgenual CG [24].…”

“…Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has proven efficacy in neurobehavioral disorders, works by modulation of cortico–striato–pallido–thalamo–cortical circuits implicated in these disorders [10], and is emerging as a promising powerful tool for the alleviation of targeted symptoms in treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric disorders. The major targets of neuropsychiatric DBS, for treating disorders such as treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), include the NA and the CG cortex (especially the subcallosal/subgenual CG/Brodmann area 25 [8,11,12,13]) or CG subgenual white matter [8,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18]. These targets seem to be safe [13], with positive influence on mood and anxiety disorders and sometimes complete remission of the symptoms [15,16], although in a small number of cases [13].…”

Chemical and Physical Approaches for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

“…[116]. DBS can also be used in research studies of major depression [117,118] and other affective disorders [119], as well as in treatment of chronic pain [120,121], though none of these newer indications have been approved by FDA till now, which may probably due to high complication rates and side effects.…”