Severe depression can sometimes resist all existing treatments, from medications to therapies to electroshock. This is the case of a 44-year-old depressed American patient, hospitalized since adolescence, who had already tried more than twenty medical approaches and survived three suicide attempts, reports New Scientist magazine.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota then tried a novel approach: mapping his brain to precisely target the areas involved in his symptoms. Imaging revealed a striking abnormality. Its salience network, responsible for filtering stimuli, was four times larger than normal. This data guided the implantation of electrodes capable of modulating neuronal activity.
Personalized brain stimulation
The doctors placed the electrodes and, during the first tests, each activated zone produced distinct reactions: intense emotion and tears of joy, calming, increased concentration… A unique experience for this patient who, according to the researchers, “felt joy for the first time in years”.
The electrodes were then connected to small batteries implanted under the skin, at the level of the collarbones. This device, comparable to a cardiac pacemaker (or pacemaker), sends short electrical pulses several times a day, completely autonomously.
Seven weeks after the operation, the patient declared that he no longer suffered from suicidal thoughts. Nine months later, he was considered in remission, much longer than during his past experiences. Two and a half years after the intervention, the benefits of the protocol persist, despite a slight temporary relapse linked to Covid-19.
For experts, this is a major breakthrough and proof that personalized brain stimulation could represent a credible alternative to traditional treatments and be a game-changer. It remains to validate the effectiveness and safety of this technique on a larger scale, thanks to clinical trials expected in the coming years.
