Project Summary

Ziad Nahas, M.D., (Independent Investigator 2006) of the Medical University of South Carolina, plans to perform a small study of a neuromodulation technology, called chronic epidural cortical stimulation (ECS), to test its effectiveness in patients with severe treatment-resistant, unipolar depression. ECS involves the neurosurgical placement of an electric wire on the brain’s surface with intermittent activations. Over time, ECS modulates local and distal connected brain regions. The technique has being successfully applied over the motor cortex to treat intractable pain. Because the medial prefrontal cortex plays a pivotal role in regulating mood, this study will apply ECS in that region to see if severely depressed patients who have failed all other treatments will benefit from this therapy. In the one-year open trial, Dr. Nahas will enroll 5 subjects with severe refractory depression with a 1 month placebo lead in. He also will follow 5 matched control patients treated with maintenance electroconvulsive therapy. Depressive and cognitive symptoms will be rated periodically to assess the safety and efficacy of the procedure. Findings may lead to a new class of therapy for depression.

Program Area: MOOD DISORDERS\Unipolar

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