Brain stimulation for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
OBJECTIVE
There has been a resurgence of interest in brain stimulation techniques as therapies for psychiatric disorders. Various names are used for this class of treatments: neuromodulation, somatic therapies, brain stimulation techniques. The methods in this class range from non-invasive (transcranial magnetic stimulation) to invasive brain surgery (deep brain stimulation).


RESULTS
Within the past year, the results of several large multicenter trials have been published, clearing the way for US Food and Drug Administration approval of vagus nerve stimulation for recurrent treatment-resistant depression and a pending consideration of approving transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of depression.


CONCLUSIONS
This article reviews the most important recent clinically relevant manuscripts in this rapidly expanding new field.
George
Mark S
MS
Brain Stimulation Laboratory and Mood Disorders Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA. georgem@musc.edu
Nahas
Ziad
Z
Borckardt
Jeffrey J
JJ
Anderson
Berry
B
Foust
Milton J
MJ
Burns
Carol
C
Kose
Samet
S
Short
E Baron
EB
D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D059408:Pain Management; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology