title: Bilateral anterior capsulotomy for intractable depression.
abstract: A group of eight patients with severe depression lasting 6 years or longer were treated with anterior capsulotomy and followed prospectively. Stereotactic surgery was used to produce radiofrequency lesions in the anterior limbs of both internal capsules. For all patients, there are follow-up data for at least 24 months. At 24-to-36 months postoperatively, four patients were either not-depressed or mildly depressed; one was mildly-to-moderately depressed; one was moderately-to-severely depressed; and only one remained severely depressed. One patient developed a progressive vascular dementia with parkinsonism caused by autopsy-proven arteriolosclerosis.
authors: Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, and Department of Psychiatry, UBC Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada. t.hurwitz@ubc.ca
authors: Trevor A
authors: TA
authors: Hurwitz
authors: Christopher R
authors: CR
authors: Honey
authors: Judy
authors: J
authors: Allen
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Gosselin
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Hewko
authors: Jeff
authors: J
authors: Martzke
authors: Nicholas
authors: N
authors: Bogod
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020772:Internal Capsule / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*