MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'deep brain stimulation'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:10:40 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077768&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F29%2Fdbs-for-depression-still-mixed-results%2F Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment long used for Parkinson’s disease. But in the past decade, some researchers have also examined its use for the treatment of severe clinical depression. Severe major depression is a serious problem in society, because some studies estimate that up to 30 percent of those who attempt to be treated for it find they have “treatment resistant” depression — that is, traditional treatments simply don’t work very well. Deep brain stimulation has mixed results. As we reported on back in February, a long-term followup of 20 patients found an average response rate to DBS of 64 percent. Not shabby, but also not the hopeful, guaranteed cure it was once held out to be. Maiken Scott, the behavioral health reporter for Philadelphia... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077768 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:39:07 +0100 5077768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997631&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2011%2F07%2F04%2Flong-term-efficacy-of-deep-brain-stimulation%2F Buffer New long term data on efficacy of deep brain stimulation for treatment resistant depression are available. The first follow up data up to 1 year were already promising. Published research about deep brain stimulation for treatment resistant depression showed that six months after surgery, 60% of patients were responders and 35% met criteria for remission, benefits that were largely maintained at 12 months. The average response rate to DBS after two and three years were 46,2% and 75%. More than one-third of patients were in remission at year 3. But what’s more convincing functional impairment in the areas of physical health and social functioning progressively improved up to the last follow-up visit. The Mayberg group published a follow up for 6 patients after 6 months and they... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997631 Mon, 04 Jul 2011 05:01:50 +0100 4997631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605930&cid=t_125345_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FmomsnzcNFt4%2F Neurons in the brain transmit information by exchanging electrical and chemical signals. What would happen if these electrical signals were transformed by applying an external current? Could this help boost brain functions? In this article, Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is reported to help people solve brain-teasers. In the study weak currents altered the activity of neurons in the anterior temporal lobes through electrodes on the scalp. Read more In this other article another technique was used: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS works by generating a magnetic field that passes the scalp and the skull. In the study an exploratory use of TMS combined with cognitive training was tested for a few months on 8 Alzheimer’s patients. The results were promising. Read ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605930 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:39:52 +0100 4605930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4498274&cid=t_125345_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdeep-brain-stimulation-experts-raise-alarms-about-aggressive-marketing%2F2011.02.19 A paper published in the February issue of Health Affairs – discussed at length in an article in the New York Times – contains the sort of blunt, plain-spoken language you seldom read in academic journals. The authors, who include some of the most prominent neuroscientists and ethicists in the world, warn that manufacturers are misusing the FDA’s humanitarian device exemption to promote deep brain stimulation as a “treatment” for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In fact, they make clear that deep brain stimulation is very much an experimental procedure. Research is still at an early stage, and the risks to patients are not well defined. When suffering is severe and no other treatment has provided relief, there is value in making available an intervention like deep b... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4498274 Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:00:39 +0100 4498274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4414519&cid=t_125345_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdeep-brain-stimulation-a-new-treatment-for-hard-to-control-high-blood-pressure%2F2011.01.29 An unexpected discovery out of Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, UK showed that deep brain stimulation (DBS) can lower blood pressure, even in cases in which drugs are unsuccessful. The discovery reportedly occurred when a 55-year-old patient received a deep brain stimulator to treat his pain from central pain syndrome that developed after a stroke. At the time of the stroke, the patient was diagnosed with high blood pressure, which could not be controlled despite taking four different drugs. The deep brain stimulator was largely unsuccessful at controlling the patient’s pain, but amazingly it decreased his blood pressure enough that he could stop taking all four medications. Researchers confirmed the effects of the deep brain stimulator by turning it on and off over a three-year period,... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4414519 Sat, 29 Jan 2011 23:00:01 +0100 4414519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036730&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2010%2F10%2F06%2Fvirtual-deep-brain-stimulation%2F This is an excellent cartoon film showing the procedure of implanting deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease. It teached me a lot about the operation. It’s an interactive application made by the Ohio State University. It’s amazing, want to be a neurosurgeon now. Thanks Mind Hacks Related posts:New Innovations in Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Hands on Blog For Deep Brain Stimulation Learn Deep Brain Surgery. (Source: Dr Shock MD PhD) Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036730 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:41:37 +0100 4036730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3254519&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2010%2F02%2F09%2Foptimal-target-for-deep-brain-stimulation-for-depression%2F This article also describes a detailed method for a more standardized method for targeting the SCG with DBS for depression. This is to technical to reproduce in this post but those working with DBS for depression should have a look at this procedure. From this study it is still not clear whether DBS of other brain areas might be more superior in efficacy. And is brain area more important than clinical features of the patient or do the areas differ for different types of depression? All very interesting questions and topic for more research on DBS. Hamani, C., Mayberg, H., Snyder, B., Giacobbe, P., Kennedy, S., & Lozano, A. (2009). Deep brain stimulation of the subcallosal cingulate gyrus for depression: anatomical location of active contacts in clinical responders and a suggested gui... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3254519 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:08:18 +0100 3254519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3115156&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2009%2F12%2F23%2Fdeep-brain-stimulation-for-schizophrenia%2F In short, a recent article proposed to do deep brain stimulation for schizophenia. Schizophrenia has positive-, negative- and cognitive symptoms (see the figure above). The authors propose the DBS for positive symptoms. Their approach is based on current models of the neurocircuitry of psychosis . They hypothesize: that chronic, high frequency electrical stimulation (HFS) of the hippocampus or the nucleus accumbens (NAc), through stabilization of dopamine (DA) release in the striatum, may improve positive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. I checked Clinicaltrials.gov but no one is doing a trial with DBS and schizophrenia yet. Their hypothesis is based on the assumption that hippocampal hyperactivity early in the course of the illness leads to excessive dopamine release and the app... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3115156 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:30:53 +0100 3115156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3089365&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_nucleus_accumbens_deep_brain_stimulation_decreases.htm 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. (Glossary link added; ed.) Source... Copyright © 2010 Society of Biological Psychiatry Published by Elsevier Inc. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3089365 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:11:00 +0100 3089365 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3039856&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fsurgery_for_mental_ills_offers_both_hope_and_risk_1.htm By BENEDICT CAREY One was a middle-aged man who refused to get into the shower. The other was a teenager who was afraid to get out. ...But leave they eventually did, traveling in desperation to a hospital in Rhode Island for an experimental brain operation in which four raisin-sized holes were burned deep in their brains. More... Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3039856 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:20:00 +0100 3039856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2995785&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdeep_brain_stimulations_offers_hope_for_severely_depressed.htm May work even when other treatments have been unsuccessful University of Bonn Thanks to a new method there is a reason for hope for patients with very severe depression. Physicians at the University Clinics of Bonn and Cologne used deep brain stimulation to treat ten patients with very severe depression whose symptoms had not improved after previous psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy treatment. The results of their study are published in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The researchers implanted electrodes in the patients' Nucleus accumbens which plays a key role in as the brain reward system. The reward system helps us remember good experiences and puts us in a state of pleasant anticipation. Without a reward system we would not forge any plans for the future as we would not be able to en... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2995785 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:10:00 +0100 2995785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2993813&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2009%2F11%2F15%2Fdeep-brain-stimulation-animation%2F Excellent animation of deep brain stimulation thanks to the Cleveland Clinic Related posts:Hands on Blog For Deep Brain Stimulation There is a new blog with the written hands...Hands on Experience with Deep Brain Stimulation for Depression Recently I found a hands on experience blog for...New Innovations in Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery A great step forward, patients don’t have to be... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. (Source: Dr Shock MD PhD) Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2993813 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:15:47 +0100 2993813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2908680&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2009%2F10%2F20%2Fnew-kind-of-brain-stimulation-for-treatment-resistant-depression%2F In a recent online publication about another form of brain stimulation in treatment resistant depression showed promising results. The electrodes are placed on the brain instead of in the brain as with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS): A new neurosurgical procedure may prove helpful for patients with treatment-resistant depression. Bilateral epidural prefrontal cortical stimulation (EpCS) was found generally safe and provided significant improvement of depressive symptoms in a small group of patients The location for Brain Stimulation in EpCS targets electrical stimulation to the anterior frontal poles and the lateral prefrontal cortex. Two different places on both hemispheres, resulting in four separate paddle leads which are connected to two small generators surgically implanted in the upper... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2908680 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:06:34 +0100 2908680 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814477&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fmore-on-red-book.html I got my wish; I got to read the rest of the NYTimes Magazine article, "The Holy Grail of the Unconsious" by Sara Corbett about Carl Jung, on the patio with coffee, a bagel and lox, on a gorgeous Sunday.The article left me thinking-- perhaps it left me longing-- and maybe this will be more of a journal entry then of a blog post. You'll forgive me for being a bit raw.I read the article and I was drawn in-- I want to read the Red Book-- the soon to be published work of Jung about his own exploration of his unconscious. Much of Jung's journey occured during a difficult period in his life, and Corbett writes:Whatever the case, in 1913, Jung, who was then 38, got lost in the soup of his own psyche. He was haunted by troubling visions and heard inner voices. Grappling with the horror of some of ... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814477 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:53:00 +0100 2814477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2793231&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2009%2F09%2F14%2Fnew-innovations-in-deep-brain-stimulation-surgery%2F A great step forward, patients don’t have to be awake during the procedure. This video shows a clear description of the old and new procedure for deep brain stimulation (DBS). In the old procedure a frame has to applied after which a brain mapping procedure has to follow, up to 6-8 hours while the patient has to be awake. At the end the patient has to undergo a MRI to see whether the electrodes are in the right place. All very tedious and time consuming. The new procedure takes place in the MRI with anesthesia and takes less time (50%). Have a look at this new procedure in the video. Is there new hope for Parkinson’s patients? Imaging scientist, Alastair Martin, and neurosurgeon, Dr. Paul Larson, have teamed up to develop a way to perform Deep Brain Stimulation surgery that&#82... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2793231 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:49:52 +0100 2793231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782084&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_clinical_guidelines_for_the_management_of_major_de_.htm Conclusions: There is most evidence to support ECT as a first-line treatment under specific circumstances and rTMS as a second-line treatment. Evidence to support VNS is less robust and DBS remains an investigational treatment. Source... Copyright © 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782084 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:34:00 +0100 2782084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670883&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdbs_deep_brain_stimulation_for_ocd_reviewing_the_evidence.htm Psychiatry Weekly 200 Aug 3;4(17) DBS for OCD: Reviewing the Evidence and Proceeding with Care Goodman WK. Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine Introduction Deep brain stimulation (DBS) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are well known, though uncommonly used, treatments for several neurological and psychiatric disorders. Many of the reasons for the limited use of these novel, devise-based treatments concern their invasiveness, of course. Dr Wayne K. Goodman, a leading OCD researcher, explains the most important similarities and differences between these two treatments: "VNS and DBS are both interventions aimed at modulating activity in the brain. They both involve surgery. DBS is more invasive and involves greater risks, because, in contrast to VNS, it requires one or t... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670883 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:35:00 +0100 2670883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602041&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdeep_brain_stimulation_device_gains_european_approval_for_tr.htm Jeff Warren & Jon Pike Medtronic's Reclaim® Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Therapy has received CE (Conformite Europeene) Mark approval for the treatment of chronic, severe treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is the first time that a deep brain stimulation device has gained approval in Europe for the treatment of a psychiatric disorder. Reclaim DBS Therapy is an adjustable, reversible and non-drug therapy that uses a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a pacemaker, to deliver carefully controlled electrical pulses to targeted areas of the brain. The stimulation can be programmed and adjusted to find the most appropriate type and amount of stimulation for each patient to maximize symptom control and minimize side effects. For OCD the anatomical ta... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602041 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:11:00 +0100 2602041 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584207&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fin_session_with_wayne_k_goodman_md_deep_brain_stimulation.htm Primary Psychiatry. 2009;16(7):24-26 Wayne K. Goodman, MD, interviewed by Norman Sussman, MD What is deep brain stimulation (DBS)? DBS is a neurosurgical technique. It is an invasive procedure and requires producing one or two bore holes in the cranium and inserting leads and electrodes. The patient is typically awake during the procedure. The only anesthetic given-a mild sedative or anxiolytic-may be local for the scalp, where the incision is made. The second part of the operation involves tunneling the wires that connect to the electrodes under the skin and to the device itself. This device is very similar to a cardiac pacemaker. It is generally implanted in the chest wall, in the same fashion as with a cardiac pacemaker.More... © 2009 Primary Psychiatry a Publication of MBL Communi... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584207 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:01:00 +0100 2584207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556162&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmayo_reviews_deep_brain_stimulation_for_psychiatric_disorder.htm John Murphy Pioneering therapeutic trials to investigate the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in hard-to-treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette's syndrome are underway at multiple medical centers around the world, according to a review in the June 2009 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. "Deep brain stimulation has long been seen as valuable for controlling movement disorders," according to the review, written by Susannah Tye, PhD, Mark Frye, MD, from the Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, and Kendall Lee, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic Department of Neurosurgery. "It now is being investigated for hard-to-treat psychiatric disorders," according to the authors. "Early results indicate the effect on depression and obsessive compulsive disorder i... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556162 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:29:00 +0100 2556162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452685&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdeep_brain_stimulation_expanding_its_reach_to_new_patients.htm By Andreas von Bubnoff Under the skin, a battery is surgically implanted — generally within the upper chest. From the battery, wires snake up to the head, to tickle different targets deep inside the brain. Such is the hardware for deep brain stimulation — the equivalent of a cardiac pacemaker for the mind. Until recently, deep brain stimulation was approved in the U.S. only to treat certain movement disorders, primarily those of Parkinson's disease, for which it diminishes tremors and rigidity and improves mobility. To date, more than 60,000 patients worldwide have had the devices implanted. But now use of the technique seems set to mushroom. More... Copyright 2009 Los Angeles Times (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452685 Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:54:00 +0100 2452685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441641&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fsustained_improvement_of_treatmentresistant_depression_seen.htm This study profiles 21 patients with DBS therapy in the area of the brain known as Brodmann Area 25, most of whom have completed one year of post-surgery evaluation. At six months, 62 percent of the patients experienced at least a 40-percent decrease in symptoms of depression as measured by a standardized test called the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Of these patients, 92 percent maintained this improvement at their last follow-up visit (typically at one year). Additionally, 71 percent of all patients in the study exhibited at least a 40-percent decrease in symptoms of depression as measured by the Hamilton scale. "Typically these patients do not maintain responses to traditional approaches such as medications and electroconvulsive therapy," said Peter Giacobbe, MD, psychiatrist wi... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441641 Fri, 22 May 2009 08:04:00 +0100 2441641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365113&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmore_advanced_deep_brain_stimulation_electrodes_being_develo.htm Katrien Marent At this week's Design, Automation and Test in Europe (DATE) conference, the independent nanoelectronics and nano- technology research center IMEC presented a new design strategy for brain implants, which it used to create a prototype multi-electrode stimulation and recording probe for deep-brain stimulation. Brain implants for electrical stimulation of specific brain areas are used as a last-resort therapy for brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, tremor, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Today's deep-brain stimulation probes use millimeter-size electrodes. These stimulate, in a highly unfocused way, a large area of the brain and may produce significant unwanted side effects. "To have a more precise stimulation and recording, we need electrodes that are as small as in... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365113 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:58:00 +0100 2365113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313507&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2FsNzuOyGgta0%2Fapa-monitor-we-dont-need-no-stinking.html The American Psychological Association publishes two monthly publications for members, the well-regarded journal American Psychologist, and the APA's newspaper, Monitor on Psychology. I've been having issues with The Monitor for as long as I can remember. At times, I think the magazine makes claims that are not at all substantiated by evidence, which really bothers me. Why? Because psychology is supposed to be a science; it is what separates psychologists from life coaches or snake oil salesmen. I usually skim the Monitor for about 30 seconds per month, but when I saw the cover for this month's issue, my intuition told me to look out for voodoo. The title: Brain imaging: New technologies for research and practice. So I browsed through the glossy pages, looking for something to catch my ey... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313507 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:02:00 +0100 2313507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2200874&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Ffda_approves_deepbrain_stimulator_for_ocd.htm The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved a humanitarian device exemption for the first implantable device that delivers intermittent electrical therapy deep within the brain to suppress the symptoms associated with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Medtronic Inc's Reclaim™ Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) system uses a small pulse generator to create electrical stimulation which blocks abnormal nerve signals in the brain. This small battery-powered device is implanted near the abdomen or the collar bone and connected to four electrodes implanted in the brain. Two device systems may be implanted to stimulate both sides of the brain or one device may be implanted with two lead outputs. Human device exemptions facilitate the development of medical devices intende... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2200874 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:05:00 +0100 2200874 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2172927&cid=t_125345_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2009%2F02%2F10%2Fconference-on-neuroprosthetic-devices%2F The First International Conference on Neuroprosthetic Devices will take place at National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan on March 19th and 20th, 2009. The mission of this newly founded conference is to foster West-East interaction and collaboration in the rapidly advancing clinical use of neuroprosthetics. The specific aim of the first conference is to expose unique technological and neurological research opportunities in Taiwan. National Chaio Tung University is one of the best universities in Taiwan and is located right next to the world-famous HsinChu Science Park hosting hundreds of biotechnology, semiconductor, and electronics companies. The conference sessions will cover several key areas in the neuroprosthetic development, such as deep brain stimulation for treatment of Park... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2172927 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:08:10 +0100 2172927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1955420&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdeep_brain_stimulation_shows_promise_as_ocd_treatment.htm OCD affects 2 percent of the population and is the number four psychiatric pathology in terms of frequency following phobias, substance abuse disorders, and depression. The people affected are obsessed with cleanliness, order, and symmetry, or are overcome by doubts and irrational fears. In order to reduce their anxiety, they carry out rituals of tidying, washing or verification for several hours a day in the most serious cases. These signs reflect major suffering and a serious handicap that often last for years, and should not be confused with obsessive, perfectionist and meticulous personality traits. One third of patients are resistant to the usual treatment, a combination of cognitive behavior therapy and antidepressants such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Hypotheses center... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1955420 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:33:00 +0100 1955420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1841222&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdetecting_brain_chemicals.htm A new device could help with deep brain stimulation By Kristina Grifantini Deep brain stimulation (DBS), in which implanted electrodes deliver electric jolts to the brain, has shown great promise in treating neurological disorders: it is already approved to treat Parkinson's disease and is being tested to treat severe depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other ailments. But despite its success, little is known about how DBS works. Scientists at the Mayo Clinic and other institutions have developed a new device that can detect neurotransmitters quickly and locally in the brain, which they hope will help make DBS more effective and shed light on how it works. More... © 2008 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyin... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1841222 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:01:00 +0100 1841222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1646337&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdeep_brain_stimulation_proves_effective_for_treatment_resist.htm New data from a study of patients with treatment-resistant depression who underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the subcallosal cingulate region (SCG or Cg25) of the brain shows that this intervention is generally safe and provides significant improvement in patients as early as one month after treatment. The patients also experienced continued and sustained improvement over time. The study, led by Helen S. Mayberg MD, and collaborators neurosurgeon Andres Lozano, MD, PhD, and psychiatrist Sidney Kennedy MD, is reported in Biological Psychiatry. This clinical trial is the culmination of Mayberg's 20 years of research using brain imaging technology that has worked to characterize functional brain abnormalities in major depression and to identify the mechanisms of various antidepressant ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1646337 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:16:00 +0100 1646337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1642792&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdeep_brain_stimulation_proves_effective_for_treatment_resist.htm New data from a study of patients with treatment-resistant depression who underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the subcallosal cingulate region (SCG or Cg25) of the brain shows that this intervention is generally safe and provides significant improvement in patients as early as one month after treatment. The patients also experienced continued and sustained improvement over time. The study, led by Helen S. Mayberg MD, and collaborators neurosurgeon Andres Lozano, MD, PhD, and psychiatrist Sidney Kennedy MD, is reported in Biological Psychiatry. This clinical trial is the culmination of Mayberg's 20 years of research using brain imaging technology that has worked to characterize functional brain abnormalities in major depression and to identify the mechanisms of various antidepressant ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1642792 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:15:00 +0100 1642792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1603089&cid=t_125345_122_f&fid=35055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsarasotaneurology.com%2F2008%2F07%2F10%2Fparkinson-disease-may-benefit-from-early-brain-stimulation%2F Recent studies have suggested that qualifying Parkinson patients benefit from earlier treatment with deep brain stimulation, as reported in Clinical Neurology News. The study indicates that younger Parkinson disease patients are more likely to benefit from early brain stimulator treatment. There is information that may suggest that this therapy may have a protective effect in delaying the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was FDA approved in 2002 for treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Symptoms that are best controlled include tremor and dyskinesias although brain stimulation can also help reduce freezing and off time. Younger Parkinson patients develop motor complications such as dyskinesias, off time and freezing much earlier than older patients w... Sarasota Neurology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1603089 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:00:33 +0100 1603089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1577455&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fspecial_report_electromagnetic_treatments_for_depression_se.htm By John Gever, Staff Writer, MedPage Today NEW YORK, July 4 — There's a new wave of research into targeted electromagnetic treatments for resistant depression, all aiming to relegate traditional electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to obsolescence. An estimated 15% to 20% of depressed patients don't respond to drug or talk therapies, sending many into the realm of ECT. More... © 2004-2008 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1577455 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:37:00 +0100 1577455 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1553101&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmending_a_broken_mind.htm What does sadness sound like? 'Cells firing five to 30 times per second,' and making it stop is a matter of 'location, location, location,' says the surgeon leading a team of Canadian pioneers who are restoring the lives of the deeply depressed CAROLYN ABRAHAM The first time I met Sean Miller, we were strangers waiting in a corridor at the outpatient psychiatry unit of Toronto General Hospital. He was the redhead, wearing a grey sweatshirt, jeans and a 100-watt smile. "Popular place," he said. He looked rosy and energized, as if he had been for a run. "Pretty warm out there today," he added. He mentioned rain in the forecast and cracked a joke about the "nice weather" we had been having. Then a door opened down the hall and he waved goodbye - "See ya!" A few minutes later, Peter Giaccobe, ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1553101 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:49:00 +0100 1553101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1535912&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdeep_brain_stimulation_studied_for_depression.htm Psychiatr News 2008 Jun 20;43(2):20 Jun Yan As an option for patients who don't respond to other interventions, deep brain stimulation is drawing considerable interest. By blocking abnormal electrical signals in the brain, researchers hope to "silence" severe depression. Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for Parkinson's disease treatment, researchers are also exploring its use in patients with treatment-resistant depression, with some promising discoveries. More... Copyright © 2008 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved." (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1535912 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:30:00 +0100 1535912 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423633&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Flinkblog%2Fjump%2F%3Fi%3D503744 MedPage Today interview with Dr. Mayberg about her research using Deep Brain Stimulation to treat treatment resistant depression (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423633 Tue, 06 May 2008 05:37:00 +0100 1423633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1400739&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fstudies_show_brain_pacemaker_helps_depression_ocd.htm CHICAGO (Reuters) - Two of the largest and longest studies so far show a "brain pacemaker" can effectively treat depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), researchers said on Friday. Devices implanted in the chest, with leads that send electrical impulses to parts of the brain, have already been approved to treat movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and dystonia. More... ©2008 Reuters (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1400739 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 08:23:00 +0100 1400739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1296163&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdevicebased_therapies_for_refractory_depression_a_review_o.htm Psychiatry Weekly 2008 Mar 10;3(10) Phillip G. Janicak, MD A variety of methods and mechanisms comprise the genre of neuromodulation-device-based therapies most often used to treat refractory depressive disorders. Most of these treatments are still experimental, although several of them, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) have been in use for many years. Other neuromodulation therapies include vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and deep brain stimulation.More... © 2008 Psychiatry Weekly, LLC (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1296163 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:16:00 +0100 1296163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1195079&cid=t_125345_137_f&fid=36083&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FIAmAnAlzheimersCaregiver%2F%7E3%2F227428533%2Fwill-deep-brain-stimulation-make.html Could deep brain stimulation be the answer for those suffering from alzheimer's? Discovery could make Alzheimer's a memory By Laura Clout Scientists have accidentally discovered a key to unlocking memory, which could offer hope to thousands of Alzheimer's sufferers. Surgeons made the discovery when using a technique called deep-brain... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver) I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1195079 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:48:39 +0100 1195079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1114477&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fsleep_chemical_minor_brain_cells_may_be_key_to_deep_brain_s.htm A brain chemical that makes us sleepy also appears to play a central role in the success of deep brain stimulation to ease symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease and other brain disorders. The surprising finding is outlined in a paper published in Nature Medicine. The work shows that adenosine, a brain chemical most widely known as the cause of drowsiness, is central to the effect of deep brain stimulation, or DBS. The technique is used to treat people affected by Parkinson's disease and who have severe tremor, and it's also being tested in people who have severe depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Patients typically are equipped with a "brain pacemaker," a small implanted device that delivers carefully programmed electrical signals to a very precise point in the patient's ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1114477 Mon, 24 Dec 2007 07:40:00 +0100 1114477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=959851&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fbrain_stimulation_an_option_for_severe_obsessivecompulsive_.htm By Joanna Lyford VIENNA, AUSTRIA — October 17, 2007 — Deep-brain stimulation is an effective, albeit drastic, treatment option for patients with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Dutch researchers stated here at the 20th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress. More... c) 1995-2007 Doctor's Guide Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=959851 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:04:00 +0100 959851 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=832684&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F150313893%2Fethics_to_rewire_a_human_brain.html Medical breakthroughs related to the rewired human brain, show us it’s past time to catch ethics up to the electrodes, currents and rebooting efforts now out there. For instance …1. People who experience brain stimulation have been known to turn frowns into smiles when voltage increases. Will that procedure encourage people to over rely on science to solve problems that lead to satisfaction and well-being? 2. Let’s say a person is seriously brain damaged at work. What if the operation to rewire the brain with electrodes  causes the person to awaken and begin to feel better now but create further problems down the road? Should operations take place without people’s prior consent? 3. After rewiring operations some people’s mental health incr... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=832684 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:03:09 +0100 832684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=819664&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_neurostimulation_therapies_in_depression.htm Conclusion: While additional studies are clearly warranted, treatments that directly stimulate the brain appear to hold great therapeutic promise for severe psychiatric disorders. Source + full text... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=819664 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 08:09:00 +0100 819664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=774256&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F139891967%2Fbrain_regains_life_after_jumps.html Brain damaged workers may soon have another chance at life.  Brain injury may soon no longer the last word for a 38 year old man, for instance,  whose brain was jump-started and new signs of life observed. Tribune  staff reporter Robert Mitchum told how … “the brain of a man who had been barely conscious for six years with electrical stimulation of the brain, making it possible for him to speak a little and take food by mouth, doctors reported Wednesday.”Yesterday the patient's mother’s told how her son improved after electrodes were implanted in his brain."My son can now speak, watch a movie without falling asleep, drink from a cup," she said at a news conference. "He can express pain, can cry and laugh."This technique is now... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=774256 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:18:39 +0100 774256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=773481&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F139625365%2Fnew_hope_through_deep_brain_st.html A news report just out … shows an interesting advance through a deep brain stimulation process discovery. It could restore mental control to people who suffer serious brain malfunctions. For instance, loss of movement and other movement disorders connected to the brain, come to more than one and one half million Americans.Many are forced to leave work far before they are ready to retire.Dr. Brad Wallace, a neurosurgeon at Lyerly Neurosurgery, recently developed an amazing treatment called Deep brain Stimulation. Check out the details on the video here at NBC News. Many more people could remain at work – and live far more satisfactory lives – with benefits promised in this innovative therapy. It may be worth passing it on to a person you know who suffers Parkinson’s... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=773481 Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:29:33 +0100 773481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=736393&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fprocedure_leaves_ocd_patient_reborn.htm Doctor uses deep brain stimulation, sometimes used to treat Parkinson's, to help OCD sufferer Since he was 9 years old, Mario Della Grotta has been consumed by compulsive thoughts for at least 18 hours a day. "It was literally a full time job for me to live," he said. ...Medicines and traditional therapies to treat OCD failed Della Grotta. So, Dr. Greenberg recommended a radical procedure — deep brain stimulation, or DBS, in which electrodes are inserted into the brain and connected to a small pacemaker-type device implanted in the chest. More... Copyright © 2007 ABCNews Internet Ventures (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=736393 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 06:54:00 +0100 736393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=677454&cid=t_125345_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fpromising_findings_on_using_neuroimaging_to_predict_treatmen.htm Norman Sussman, MD, DFAPA With the advent of neuroimaging technology, modern researchers are able to do what earlier generations of psychiatrists could not do: look into functional changes in the human brain. The ultimate objectives are to better understand the pathophysiology of mental disorders and thus devise more effective treatments. Ideally, clinicians could one day use imaging to identify a subtype of disorder and match it to a specific treatment, and then monitor changes in brain activity as a correlate of symptom improvement. Studies have already demonstrated changes in glucose metabolism associated with response to antidepressant treatment modalities, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), antidepressants, and deep brain stimulation. A group of Canadian researchers now report ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=677454 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:55:00 +0100 677454