Patient with Depression Treated with Brain Pacemaker in the USA

In the USA, a 44-year-old man with long-standing, treatment-resistant severe depression has shown significant improvement thanks to a personalized brain stimulation device, reports New Scientist, as cited by BGNES. The positive effect has persisted for more than two years following the intervention.

In some cases, depression remains resistant to all available methods—medications, therapies, and electroshock. This was the case for this patient, who was first hospitalized as a teenager. Over the years, he tried more than 20 different medical approaches and survived three suicide attempts.

A team from the University of Minnesota applied a pioneering method—brain mapping—to identify the areas associated with the symptoms. Imaging studies revealed a distinct anomaly: the salience network, which filters stimuli, was four times larger than normal. This discovery guided specialists on where to implant electrodes to modulate neural activity.

During initial testing, each stimulated area triggered different reactions—ranging from strong emotions and tears of joy to calmness and increased concentration. According to the scientists, the patient “felt happy for the first time in years.”

The electrodes are connected to small batteries implanted under the skin in the collarbone area. Similar to a pacemaker, the device sends short electrical pulses several times a day completely autonomously.

Seven weeks after the surgery, the patient no longer reported suicidal thoughts. After nine months, he was in remission, a period significantly longer than any previous treatment attempts. Two and a half years later, the positive effect persists, with the exception of a brief deterioration during a COVID-19 infection.

According to experts, this is a major breakthrough and proof that personalized brain stimulation could become a reliable alternative to traditional therapies. However, its efficacy and safety are yet to be confirmed in large-scale clinical trials in the coming years.