Acute antidepressant effects of deep brain stimulation – Review and data from slMFB-stimulation

Abstract

BackgroundAcute effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) have not been assessed systematically lacking valid instruments. In this study, a clinical tool for the assessment of acute antidepressant effects was developed and the predictive value of acute effects for long-term outcome was evaluated. MethodsAcute effects were assessed with the depression acute effects scale (DACS), a questionnaire developed by our group: core items from depression rating scales were rated on a 10 point Likert scale by seven patients before and after test stimulation. The sum score of intra-operative changes in DACS was correlated with the reduction in MADRS score at three months to evaluate the association between acute and long-term effects. ResultsAn acute amelioration in symptoms of depression was reported during intra-operative test stimulation. There was no significant correlation between intra-operative acute effects and long-term antidepressant response. ConclusionsAcute changes in symptoms of depression can be measured with DACS. To assess the predictive value of acute effects for long-term outcome a larger sample is needed. The systematic assessment of acute antidepressant effects can help to optimize stimulation parameters in DBS studies. The predictive value of key symptoms of depression for the response to a treatment and for individually shaped treatment relies on assessment tools for acute effects in depression. Because of the high interest of this topic, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature on acute effects of DBS for depression.