Depression Learning

When Can Vagus Nerve Stimulation be used to Treat Chronic Depression?

Because some people suffer with long term chronic depression, and their symptoms are resistant to depression drugs, there is a depression treatment that is very effective, called Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Vagus nerve stimulation works with a generator that is implanted surgically in the chest. The doctor connects a wire to the generator and connects the other end of the wire to the Vagus nerve on the left side of the neck. The generator sends tiny electrical impulses through the wire and the impulses travel from the left Vagus nerve up to the brain.

Vagus nerve stimulation is a fairly new technology to treat people with long term dysthemia (chronic depression). The technology is used on individuals who are not responsive to any other form of treatment. Don’t get Vagus nerve stimulation mixed up with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT); they are two entirely different treatments. ECT is used to stimulate the entire brain, and it is used to treat many different kinds of mental illnesses, including major depression, bipolar depression, delusional depression and schizophrenia. Vagus nerve stimulation is used to target only a small portion of the brain responsible for mood, anxiety, appetite, and other functions.

Vagus nerve stimulation is the last resort for depression treatment. When depression drugs, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy don’t work, then VNS may be used. Vagus nerve stimulation was approved in 2005 by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), but this depression treatment is limited to certain criteria. To have VNS, the individual must be an adult of at least 18 years old, and his/her depression must be resistant to any form of treatment. The individual must have long term dysthemia with an onset at least 2 years before the treatment. If the individual has severe depression, that isn’t necessarily chronic, but it is recurrent, they will also qualify for the treatment. The last limitation regarding Vagus nerve stimulation is that the individual’s depression symptoms have not improved after the having at least 4 different depression treatments, which can include 4 different kinds of antidepressant drugs.

Vagus nerve stimulation is a controversial treatment for depression; many mental health professionals don’t agree that VNS is a viable treatment for depression. There is no guarantee if you have VNS that it will be effective in decreasing your depression symptoms. If Vagus nerve stimulation is used as a treatment for depression, it should be used in conjunction with other forms of treatment, such as antidepressants and psychotherapy. Though Vagus nerve stimulation is a fairly new treatment for severe or chronic depression, VNS has been approved by the FDA to treat epilepsy since 1997.

Vagus nerve stimulation has some risks that everyone having the surgery should know about. The surgery can leave a painful incision, and there is always the possibility of infection, as with any surgery. Though it isn’t likely to happen, there is always a slight possibility that during surgery the Vagus nerve could be damaged. Damage to the Vagus nerve could cause problems breathing, and there could also cause chest pain, sore throat, neck pain, hoarseness of the voice, difficulty swallowing, tingling of the skin, malfunction of the generator, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts. Vagus nerve stimulation can be an effective depression treatment for some people; people who have the surgery should be monitored closely to be sure the VNS generator has not moved and is function properly. The individual with the Vagus nerve stimulator should go about his/her activities of daily living as directed by the health care practitioner.

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