Subgenual Cingulate Stimulation in Resistant Depression

Despite the availability of several treatments, a number of patients with major depression are refractory to therapeutical approaches and therefore suffer from chronic handicap. For these severe patients, neurosurgical therapies can be envisaged. They aim at interrupting bundles that link the orbitofrontal cortex with striatum and can therefore benefit for the patients.

This study intends to repeat Dr. Lozano's study, published in 2005 in the journal Neuron. In this study, they performed a preliminary evaluation of chronic deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subgenual cingulate region (Brodmann area 25) to treat refractory depression as an alternative to subcaudate tractotomy. This last technique was employed in Grenoble in the 60s with satisfying results before neurosurgery for psychiatric disorders was abandoned. Since 1992, psychosurgical therapies that respect ethical recommendations have regained interest to treat highly impaired patients. Before the investigators can propose deep brain stimulation of subgenual cingulate brain region as a new therapeutic approach for the investigators patients in Grenoble, the investigators decided to reproduce their clinical evaluation on a group of 6 patients, repeating their methodology faithfully. Therefore nothing was changed to the model used by Drs. Lozano and Mayberg and the investigators took advantage of the investigators own expertise regarding deep brain stimulation and subcaudate tractotomy.

Protocol is strictly identical to the one of Mayberg and Lozano in order to confirm their preliminary results. Cartography of physiological consequences of this procedure will be assessed by measuring cerebral blood flow by PET scan (positron emission tomography). Patients will be monitored and thoroughly assessed during including psychiatric, neurological, neurosurgical, neuropsychological and PET scan exams to measure treatment efficacy and potential adverse reactions. Patients will be followed for two more years to assess medium-term complications. This study will be a first step toward further research including potentially a multicentric clinical trial.