Depression eased with electrical spinal cord stimulation: study

Shocking news: A new study finds that electrical stimulation of the spinal cord shows “therapeutic potential” for the treatment of depression.

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati explored how stimulating the spinal cord decreased the flow of information between the brain and the body so the brain could readjust and regulate itself during a depressive episode.

Their findings were published Wednesday in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

“Many of the symptoms of mood disorders or eating disorders or anxiety disorders have to do with what one could interpret as dysregulation in this brain-body interaction,” principal investigator Dr. Francisco Romo-Nava said in a statement.

Romo-Nava said that pathways of neurons in the spinal cord can become overloaded with information, potentially contributing to major depression.

“For example, chronic stress could lead to a hyperactive brain-body circuit that eventually burns the system out and prevents it from adjusting itself in an effective and optimal way,” he explained.

Researchers determined that stimulation to the spine, using a device no bigger than a shoe box and an electrode placed on the patient’s back, could ease the backlog.

The pilot study saw 20 patients undergo three 20-minute stimulation sessions a week for two months.

Half received the active stimulation, while the other half was subjected to a much lower current.

The study authors reported that side effects were mild and mostly related to redness of the skin around the zap zone.

“We used a current that is so small that it’s about 10 times smaller than the one known to induce tissue damage,” Romo-Nava said. “So that’s also pretty encouraging because there’s a lot to explore in terms of what is the optimal dose and session frequency.”

Stimulated patients saw a notable decrease in the severity of their depression compared to the control group.

“We think it’s a great start,” Romo-Nava said, adding that it’s important to keep “cautious” since only a small group was sampled.

Romo-Nava, who is optimistic that further research will prove a connection between the spine and psychological issues like depression, is looking to assemble a portable spinal cord stimulation device and expand trial testing.

His study results come months after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly 1 in 5 US adults suffer from depression.

At UCLA Health, non-invasive magnets are being used as a form of therapy against depressive symptoms.