Subcallosal cingulate deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant unipolar and bipolar depression.
BACKGROUND
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) may be an effective intervention for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but available data are limited.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy and safety of subcallosal cingulate DBS in patients with TRD with either major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar II disorder (BP).


METHODS
Open-label trial with a sham lead-in phase.


METHODS
Academic medical center. Patients  Men and women aged 18 to 70 years with a moderate-to-severe major depressive episode after at least 4 adequate antidepressant treatments. Ten patients with MDD and 7 with BP were enrolled from a total of 323 patients screened. Intervention  Deep brain stimulation electrodes were implanted bilaterally in the subcallosal cingulate white matter. Patients received single-blind sham stimulation for 4 weeks followed by active stimulation for 24 weeks. Patients then entered a single-blind discontinuation phase; this phase was stopped after the first 3 patients because of ethical concerns. Patients were evaluated for up to 2 years after the onset of active stimulation.


METHODS
Change in depression severity and functioning over time, and response and remission rates after 24 weeks were the primary efficacy end points; secondary efficacy end points were 1 year and 2 years of active stimulation.


RESULTS
A significant decrease in depression and increase in function were associated with chronic stimulation. Remission and response were seen in 3 patients (18%) and 7 (41%) after 24 weeks (n = 17), 5 (36%) and 5 (36%) after 1 year (n = 14), and 7 (58%) and 11 (92%) after 2 years (n = 12) of active stimulation. No patient achieving remission experienced a spontaneous relapse. Efficacy was similar for patients with MDD and those with BP. Chronic DBS was safe and well tolerated, and no hypomanic or manic episodes occurred. A modest sham stimulation effect was found, likely due to a decrease in depression after the surgical intervention but prior to entering the sham phase.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study support the long-term safety and antidepressant efficacy of subcallosal cingulate DBS for TRD and suggest equivalent safety and efficacy for TRD in patients with BP. Trial Registration  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00367003.
Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, One Medical Center Dr, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA. paul.e.holtzheimer@dartmouth.edu
Paul E
PE
Holtzheimer
Mary E
ME
Kelley
Robert E
RE
Gross
Megan M
MM
Filkowski
Steven J
SJ
Garlow
Andrea
A
Barrocas
Dylan
D
Wint
Margaret C
MC
Craighead
Julie
J
Kozarsky
Ronald
R
Chismar
Jared L
JL
Moreines
Klaus
K
Mewes
Patricio Riva
PR
Posse
David A
DA
Gutman
Helen S
HS
Mayberg
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome