Cognitive functioning after deep brain stimulation in subcallosal cingulate gyrus for treatment-resistant depression:
Maria Serra-Blasco1, Sol de Vita1, Mar Rivas Rodríguez2
1Department of Psychiatry - Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Psychiatry Research
|January 17, 2015
Summary
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subgenual cingulate gyrus (SCG) appears safe for cognitive function in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Memory performance even improved after a year of chronic stimulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Neurology
Background:
- Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a potential therapy for treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
- Cognitive safety of DBS for TRD remains largely unexplored.
- Subgenual cingulate gyrus (SCG) is a target for DBS in TRD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cognitive safety of subgenual cingulate gyrus (SCG) deep brain stimulation (DBS).
- To assess cognitive function changes in patients with TRD before and after SCG DBS.
Main Methods:
- Exploratory study involving eight TRD patients undergoing SCG DBS.
- Neuropsychological battery administered pre-surgery and 1-year post-surgery.
- Comparison with a matched group of eight first-episode depression patients.
Main Results:
- No significant group or cognitive domain interactions observed.
- Significant group and time effects noted for memory.
- Significant group effect observed for language.
- Medication load negatively correlated with memory; clinical improvement correlated with memory improvement.
Conclusions:
- SCG DBS demonstrates cognitive safety in TRD patients.
- Cognitive function did not decline; memory performance showed improvement post-stimulation.
- Findings require cautious interpretation due to small sample size and prior ECT in some patients.
