• 1What Is Depression? (VIDEO)
  • 2Treating Depression
  • 3What Makes You Unique?
  • 4Your Brain Is Electric
  • 5Depression and Neurotransmitters
  • 6Emotions and Your Brain
  • 7Losing Your Balance
  • 8Forms of Depression
  • 9Symptoms and Diagnosis
  • 10Causes of Depression
  • 11Depression and Pain
  • 12Depression Changes the Brain
  • 13The Depression Cascade
  • 14Finding Balance
  • 15Talk Therapy
  • 16Movement as Medicine
  • 17Managing Stress and Making Choices
  • 18Food for a Better Mood
  • 19Get Some Sleep
  • 20Treatment: Antidepressants
  • 21Treatment: ECT and VNS
  • 22There Is Hope
CHAPTER 21

Treatment: ECT and VNS

PART 1

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure in which electric currents are passed through the brain, triggering a brief seizure. ECT can produce significant improvements in symptoms more quickly than medications or psychotherapy. Unfortunately, the use of ECT carries a stigma based on its early use, when high doses of electricity were administered without anesthesia, leading to permanent memory loss and even death. READ MORE

ECT has come a long way since those days. It is now administered in carefully calibrated doses in a controlled setting. However, because ECT may have side effects such as cognitive impairment and memory loss (usually temporary), it's generally reserved for people who have severe depression accompanied by psychosis, who are in danger of committing suicide, or when other forms of therapy haven't proved effective. LESS
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PART 2

Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a new option for the treatment of chronic, or recurrent, depression. As with ECT, it is indicated for people who have not responded to the usual forms of treatment or who are unable to take medication.

In VNS, a device similar to an electronic pacemaker is surgically implanted under the skin on the left side of the chest. A wire from the electrode is connected to the left vagus nerve, stimulating the brain's limbic system. The limbic system regulates mood, appetite, motivation, and sleep patterns, all of which can be affected by depression. READ MORE

It can take some time, up to several months, before VNS has its full effect. Unlike antidepressant medications, however, VNS doesn't cause side effects such as weight gain and sexual dysfunction. VNS can be used in combination with other therapies, including medications and ECT. LESS
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