Deep Brain Stimulation for OCD
Over 2.2 million Americans suffer from Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with nagging thoughts and irrational behavior. In some cases medical or behavioral therapy does not work to calm the patient’s obsessive thoughts and behaviors. A new method of treatment called deep brain stimulation is gaining popularity in untreatable cases. This treatment involves implanting electrodes in the brain to deliver an electrical current to the area of the brain thought to be involved in OCD.
Dr. Benjamin Greenberg from Brown University compared the implantable device to a cardiac pacemaker “except the wires go through a hole in the skull into the brain instead of the heart.” While only about 60-70 patients have tired deep brain stimulation for OCD since 2000, this technology is also being used for other disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
The current trial for deep brain stimulation for OCD involves eight more years of follow-up for patients. These patients showed initial improvement and with a continuation of the treatment drastically reduced the severity of their OCD symptoms. While it is not an instant cure, it improves their ability to function.
This technique is facing controversy. Dr. Joseph Fins argues that a lack of evidence and the complications of the procedure are putting patients and companies at risk. The side effects of this procedure can include bleeding, infection, and seizures. Problems such as the battery dying, wires breaking, or metal detectors can cause the OCD symptoms to suddenly worsen. One advantage of the deep brain stimulation is the device is removable and adjustable to the patient’s individual treatment. Some patients, however, elect for permanent surgery since it does not involve maintaining a device. Deep brain stimulation is also being used for depression and has potential to become treatments for many neurologically based disorders.
The brain is such a fascinating complexity and I’m always interested to learn more. I think the deep brain stimulation has potential and could one day be an effective method to help with neurological disorders. The path to discover these methods will not be easy and may result in much criticism and many set-backs.
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/18/for-untreatable-ocd-a-deep-brain-solution/?iref=obinsite
Dr. Benjamin Greenberg from Brown University compared the implantable device to a cardiac pacemaker “except the wires go through a hole in the skull into the brain instead of the heart.” While only about 60-70 patients have tired deep brain stimulation for OCD since 2000, this technology is also being used for other disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
The current trial for deep brain stimulation for OCD involves eight more years of follow-up for patients. These patients showed initial improvement and with a continuation of the treatment drastically reduced the severity of their OCD symptoms. While it is not an instant cure, it improves their ability to function.
This technique is facing controversy. Dr. Joseph Fins argues that a lack of evidence and the complications of the procedure are putting patients and companies at risk. The side effects of this procedure can include bleeding, infection, and seizures. Problems such as the battery dying, wires breaking, or metal detectors can cause the OCD symptoms to suddenly worsen. One advantage of the deep brain stimulation is the device is removable and adjustable to the patient’s individual treatment. Some patients, however, elect for permanent surgery since it does not involve maintaining a device. Deep brain stimulation is also being used for depression and has potential to become treatments for many neurologically based disorders.
The brain is such a fascinating complexity and I’m always interested to learn more. I think the deep brain stimulation has potential and could one day be an effective method to help with neurological disorders. The path to discover these methods will not be easy and may result in much criticism and many set-backs.
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/18/for-untreatable-ocd-a-deep-brain-solution/?iref=obinsite
posted by Carrie Pottmeyer at 12:32 PM
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