[Deep brain stimulation for psychiatric disorders: historical basis].

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Neurology
• Psychiatry

Context:

• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is increasingly explored for psychiatric disorders.
• DBS systems require neurosurgical implantation, leading to comparisons with historical psychosurgery.
• The historical development of DBS is often misunderstood, with links to earlier psychosurgical methods.

Purpose:

• To provide a systematic, literature-based overview of the historical development of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).
• To clarify that DBS evolved from two distinct, parallel lines of medical progress.
• To differentiate DBS from earlier, less precise psychosurgical interventions.

Summary:

• DBS did not solely emerge from the era of psychosurgery.
• Its development is rooted in lesional neurosurgical procedures targeting subcortical structures.
• DBS also evolved from the application of electrical stimulation to neuronal networks.

Impact:

• DBS is becoming a significant therapy for treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions.
• Understanding DBS's origins informs its current application and future research.
• This historical perspective corrects misconceptions and highlights the dual foundation of DBS technology.