A groundbreaking clinical trial led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown significant improvement in depressive symptoms, quality of life, and ability to complete everyday tasks among people with severe depression who received vagus nerve stimulation therapy.
The study involved nearly 500 participants at 84 sites across the US, all of whom suffered from severe depression that could not be treated effectively with medication or other approaches. Three-quarters of the participants were unable to work due to their condition. The researchers implanted devices that stimulated the left vagus nerve in the neck and tracked the participants’ responses using multiple validated assessment tools.
While the primary assessment tool revealed no significant differences between those who had active stimulation and those who did not, many other measures showed significant benefits to using the device. Participants with activated devices reported improved symptoms, quality of life, and functional abilities, with some experiencing complete remission.
The therapy has been shown to be effective in treating severe depression, but its high cost and limited availability have made it unaffordable for many patients. The RECOVER study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation therapy for treatment-resistant depression, both alone and as part of bipolar disorder, with the goal of obtaining health insurance coverage.
The results are potentially life-changing for these patients, who may experience improvements in their ability to function and live their lives. The therapy works by emitting electrical pulses to areas of the brain associated with mood regulation. Researchers plan to follow the participants for another four years to determine how long the effects last and how much they ultimately benefit.
According to Dr. Charles R. Conway, the principal investigator of the RECOVER trial, “The improvements observed are potentially life-changing for these patients with severe, refractory depression.” The study’s findings have the potential to pave the way for health insurance coverage for treatment-resistant cases.
Source: https://medicine.washu.edu/news/vagus-nerve-stimulation-relieves-severe-depression