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Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an infrequent last-resort intervention for treatment-resistant depression (and is not FDA-approved for this indication), the procedure has sparked considerable interest among patients, families, and clinicians. This single-center, open-label study of long-term outcomes enrolled 28 patients with treatment-resistant depression (19 women; mean age, 45) who received manufacturer-supplied DBS devices, all from the same surgeon.
Follow-up lasted ≥8 years in 14 patients and ≥4 years in 11 other patients (3 dropouts). Overall, 20 patients had major depression, and 8 had bipolar II disorder; most patients had the melancholic depression subtype.
Through years 2 to 8, response rates averaged ≥50%, and remission r…