title: Depression: a role for neurosurgery?
abstract: After providing an overview of depression this article briefly reviews the development of psychosurgery and outlines the current procedures in use world wide. Stereotactic subcaudate tractotomy (SST) is described in particular detail, and the rationale for its use in the treatment of resistant depression is then discussed by considering the findings of neuropsychological, neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies. The emerging evidence suggests that the prefrontal cortex subserves an essential function in emotion and that disruption of its connections modifies mood.
authors.affiliation: Mood Disorders Unit, University Department of Psychiatry, Prince of Wales Hospital, High Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia. g.malhi@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Malhi
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bartlett
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000601:surgery*; D011612:Psychosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000592:standards*