Neurological Disorders What Is Deep Brain Stimulation? By Julia Childs Heyl, MSW Julia Childs Heyl, MSW Julia Childs Heyl is a clinical social worker who focuses on mental health disparities, the healing of generational trauma, and depth psychotherapy. Learn about our editorial process Published on March 18, 2022 Learn more." tabindex="0" data-inline-tooltip="true"> Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAAN Medically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAAN Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, is an award-winning physician-scientist and clinical development specialist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Yuichiro Chino / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Is Deep Brain Stimulation? History Types Uses Benefits Potential Pitfalls Close What Is Deep Brain Stimulation? Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical treatment used for movement disorders and some treatment-resistant mental disorders. Electrodes are surgically implanted into parts of the brain where abnormal activity is occurring. The electrodes emit impulses that manage irregular brain activity. A generator controls the brain stimulation, which, much similar to a pace-maker, is placed in the upper chest. The generator connects to the electrodes through a wire tracing under the skin from the chest to the brain. The electrodes usually stimulate the brain bilaterally, meaning that both sides of the brain are receiving stimulation. However, there are some conditions where the electrode treatment must be unilateral, meaning they are only stimulating one side of the brain. Deep brain stimulation treatment commences once the recovery process after the surgery is complete, which usually takes a few weeks. A medical provider will turn the generator on and begin the process of finding the best settings for the allocated treatment. This can prove to be a bit uncomfortable at first, with an early side effect being speech issues. However, this is usually temporary. History of Deep Brain Stimulation In 1987, French neurosurgeon Alim Benabid discovered that electrical stimulation on the basal ganglia could relieve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. This discovery triggered a groundbreaking moment in healing movement disorders. One decade later, deep brain stimulation was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997 to treat Parkinson’s disease-related tremors. In 2009, deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder was introduced. Since then, the use of this elective surgical procedure has treated depression, epilepsy, and Tourette syndrome. Less commonly, but effectively, this treatment has also been used for chronic headaches, addiction, obesity, and stroke recovery. Though deep brain stimulation, as the public generally understands it today, was introduced in the late 1980s, it has earlier roots. In the late 19th century, deep brain stimulation was discovered by stimulating the cerebral cortex of animals. This early experience was foundational in future explorations of deep brain stimulation. Types of Deep Brain Stimulation Deep brain stimulation therapy is part of a broader scope of brain stimulation therapies. Deep brain stimulation is one of the most commonly known stimulation therapies. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly controversial and widely studied brain stimulation therapy that is still used to this day. Electroconvulsive therapy is used in the treatment of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Other forms of brain stimulation therapies include: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS): Vagus nerve stimulation was initially used to treat epilepsy, though it is also now used to treat depression. It is similar to deep brain stimulation—it also uses a device planted under the skin that triggers electrodes to deliver electric pulses. However, the electrodes are planted on the vagus nerve, instead of the brain. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS): Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can treat depression, psychosis, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. It was developed in 1985 and uses a magnet to activate the brain. The part of the brain that is activated is dependent upon the presenting condition. Magnetic seizure therapy (MST): Magnetic seizure therapy is a newer form of brain stimulation that is used to treat mental disorders, such as major depression and bipolar disorders. Magnetic seizure therapy uses magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain to induce a seizure. What Is Deep Brain Stimulation Used For? Deep brain stimulation is helpful both for neurological and treatment-resistant psychological disorders. It can treat movement disorders like the aforementioned Parkinson’s disease, tremors, and dystonia. Psychological disorders can also benefit. For example, treatment-resistant depression can benefit from deep brain stimulation. While initial studies have been promising, it has yet to be cleared by the FDA and is still considered an experimental treatment. Treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder is successfully treated by deep brain stimulation, as well. Deep Brain Stimulation Benefits and Considerations The greatest benefit deep brain stimulation offers is the opportunity to finally feel relief. Particularly in the case of psychological disorders, it can work wonders on conditions that simply have failed to respond to other forms of treatment. In the event that other treatments are not soothing the symptoms of a mental illness like depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder, deep brain stimulation can offer some relief. While deep brain stimulation is an effective treatment, it does require surgery. For many, the stress of undergoing an elective surgical procedure may be a major deterrent. Potential Pitfalls of Deep Brain Stimulation Deep brain stimulation is a serious medical procedure. For those receiving deep brain stimulation for neurological disorders, there can be negative psychological side effects. For example, a study on those experiencing Parkinson’s disease revealed an increased likelihood to develop depressive symptoms after the surgery. However, these symptoms can subside and, if needed, medical providers can adjust the treatment accordingly. Other general side effects include infection, headache, and device malfunction. Some may experience speech issues and fatigue. It is worth noting that side effects are rare and can be managed with adjustments to deep brain stimulation and medical attention. A Word From Verywell Living with a treatment-resistant psychological condition can feel isolating and disheartening. If you find yourself losing hope in your pursuit of proper treatment, reach out to your medical provider to see if this treatment could provide relief. 12 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Herrington TM, Cheng JJ, Eskandar EN. Mechanisms of deep brain stimulation. J. Neurophysiol. 2016;115(1):19-38. doi: 10.1152/jn.00281.2015 Little S, Tripoliti E, Beudel M, et al. Adaptive deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease demonstrates reduced speech side effects compared to conventional stimulation in the acute setting. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2016;87(12):1388-1389. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2016-313518 DeLong MR, Benabid AL. Discovery of high-frequency deep brain stimulation for treatment of Parkinson disease. JAMA. 2014;312(11):1093. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.11132 Miocinovic S, Somayajula S, Chitnis S, Vitek JL. History, applications, and mechanisms of deep brain stimulation. JAMA Neurol. 2013;70(2):163-171. Doi: 10.1001/2013.jamaneurol.45 Pycroft L, Stein J, Aziz T. Deep brain stimulation: An overview of history, methods, and future developments. Brain Neurosci Adv. 2018;2:239821281881601. doi: 10.1177/2398212818816017 Bahji A, Hawken ER, Sepehry AA, Cabrera CA, Vazquez G. ECT beyond unipolar major depression: systematic review and meta-analysis of electroconvulsive therapy in bipolar depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand. doi: 10.1111/acps.12994 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Brain stimulation therapies. Published June 2016. Morishita T, Fayad SM, Higuchi M aki, Nestor KA, Foote KD. Deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression: systematic review of clinical outcomes. Neurotherapeutics. 2014;11(3):475-484. doi: 10.1007/s13311-014-0282-1 Blomstedt P, Sjöberg RL, Hansson M, Bodlund O, Hariz MI. Deep brain stimulation in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. World Neurosurg. 2013;80(6):e245-253. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2012.10.006 Cyron D. Mental side effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for movement disorders: the futility of denial. Front Integr Neurosci. 2016;10:17. doi: 10.3389/fnint.2016.00017 Fenoy AJ, Simpson RK. Risks of common complications in deep brain stimulation surgery: management and avoidance. J. Neurosurg. 2014;120(1):132-139. doi:10.3171/2013.10.JNS131225 Zarzycki MZ, Domitrz I. Stimulation-induced side effects after deep brain stimulation – a systematic review. Acta Neuropsychiatrica. 2020;32(2):57-64. doi:10.1017/neu.2019.35 By Julia Childs Heyl, MSW Julia Childs Heyl, MSW, is a clinical social worker and writer. As a writer, she focuses on mental health disparities and uses critical race theory as her preferred theoretical framework. In her clinical work, she specializes in treating people of color experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma through depth therapy and EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) trauma therapy. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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