The treatment of severe anxiety with chronically implanted intracerebral electrodes

A procedure is described which allowed discrete lesions to be placed in the frontal lobes and paracingulate white matter through chronically implanted intracerebral electrodes for the treatment of a severe and intractable anxiety state. This procedure enabled progressive treatment on an outpatient basis over a period of weeks so that the amount of treatment was geared carefully to the patient's response. This psychosurgical technique minimizes the risks of untoward side effects. The case history is presented of the first patient treated with chronically implanted intracerebral electrodes at the Neuropsychiatric Institute, Sydney.