Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure typically used to treat movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, and conditions like treatment-resistant epilepsy. Increasingly, DBS is being used to treat severe disorders that haven’t responded to traditional treatment, such as severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette’s syndrome, and treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression. DBS effectively alleviates depressive symptoms of comorbid OCD and BD, with some risk of triggering hypomania. Because of this, patients with comorbid BD-OCD need to be carefully monitored during the DBS procedure and follow-up. More research is needed, though studies involving severe and highly treatment-resistant depression have been encouraging. A promising area of research focuses on using DBS to target specific symptoms and brain circuits to develop unique, patient-tailored treatments. Treatment details:

• One or more tiny wires, or electrodes, are surgically placed in the brain and connected to a very small pulse generator placed in the chest.
• Possible side effects from surgery: include infection, headache, confusion, or hardware complications
• Possible side effects from the stimulation: numbness or tingling, tightness in facial or arm muscles, speech problems, unwanted mood changes, or lightheadedness.
• Treatment providers work with patients to establish device settings and make further adjustments—a process taking weeks or a few months—to find the best stimulation level for symptom relief, as well as reduce side effects.