{"id":8188,"date":"2021-10-05T16:29:52","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T16:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1368966"},"modified":"2021-10-05T16:29:52","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T16:29:52","slug":"brain-implant-relieves-womans-depression-by-zapping-her-with-electricity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=8188","title":{"rendered":"Brain implant relieves woman\u2019s depression by zapping her with electricity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n

A woman with severe depression says her life has transformed after treatment with an experimental brain implant<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 36-year-old has been fitted with a system that\u2019s been described as a \u201cpacemaker for the brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco surgically implanted the matchbox-sized device in the patient\u2019s skull more than a year ago.<\/p>\n

The system then began searching for neural signals of depression. Once these patterns were recognized, the device stimulated a different area of the brain circuit to relieve her mood symptoms.<\/p>\n

Sarah, who asked to be known by only her first name, said the approach has had long-lasting effects:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Before I had the device, the emotions, the darkness were overwhelming. Now I just get up and I get on with my day. For me, the device has been an amazing blessing.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The system harnesses a technique called deep brain stimulation (DBS). The approach had previously proven effective at treating Parkinson\u2019s disease and epilepsy, but success in treating depression had been limited.<\/p>\n

A major barrier is that depression appears to involve various areas of the brain that differ between individuals.<\/p>\n

The researchers overcame this hurdle by analyzing the correlations between Sarah\u2019s mood and brain activity.<\/p>\n

They discovered that a specific pattern of neural activity emerged when she became depressed.<\/p>\n

They then customized the DBS device to only respond when it recognizes this biomarker. When this occurs, the implant sends electric pulses to the part of the brain that elicits a positive mood response from Sarah. <\/p>\n