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FDA OKs Brain Pacemaker for Depression

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the shocking-developments dept.

Duke Machesne writes "On Friday, the FDA approved a new therapy for the severely depressed who have run out of treatment options: a pacemaker-like implant that sends tiny electric shocks to the brain. The Food and Drug Administration's clearance opens Cyberonics Inc.'s vagus nerve stimulator, or VNS, as a potential treatment for an estimated 4 million Americans with hard-to-treat depression - despite controversy over whether it's really been proven to work."

3 of 456 comments (clear)

  1. Re:New Treatment for Depression by Reverend528 · · Score: 0, Troll
    Your lack of empathy is why the world is so screwed up. No one gives a shit about anyone else and then wonders why there is so much violence.

    Get over it.

    --
    Badass Resumes
  2. Depression is not a disease! by burbilog · · Score: 0, Troll

    Depression is not a disease. It's a state of mind and it's a natural defense against problems in human software, not hardware. If you stimulate someone who has depression (it's possible to do with drugs today without jolting brains with electricity) most probably your patient will end up killing himself. Lack of activity works as a safeguard against doing something that will kill you while you are inadequate. So what's the purpose of stimulating people? Increasing suicide rates among them 500% at once and saving insurance company expenses?..

  3. Re:Similar to Parkinson's? by TummyX · · Score: 0, Troll


    but vagal nerve stimulation IS used to treat parkinson's

    Not to be confused with vaginal nerve stimulation which IS also used to treat parkinson's. Some say it's even easier with parkinson's.

    /goingtohell