Spidy
11-21-2007, 01:41 PM
New treatment may help when other treatments don't
An innovative treatment may be on the way as Cyberonics, Inc. begins a pilot study of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS™) and anxiety disorders. Developed as a treatment for epilepsy, VNS has already been shown to help severe depression, in studies. Researchers believe the positive benefits of VNS may also help treatment-resistant anxiety disorders.
VNS is administered through an implant called the "NeuroCybernetic Prosthesis" (NCP®), a device similar to a pacemaker. The NCP is implanted in the neck and chest, and it works by sending signals from the vagus nerve in the neck to the brain. The vagus nerve is the main pathway used to send information about heart rate and breathing from the body to the brain. In people with epilepsy, VNS has been shown to reduce seizures with continued improvement over time.
Because VNS has been shown to have positive effects on mood, Cyberonics has conducted studies on the use of VNS for treating severe, treatment-resistant depression.
Ongoing results are favorable, and, because of these results, Cyberonics decided that people with anxiety disorders might also benefit from the neurochemical and brain activation effects of VNS.
"Despite the availability of effective treatments for anxiety disorders, only a minority of patients experience complete sustained remission and the majority remain at least somewhat symptomatic or do not improve at all," stated Dr. Mark George of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in a press release. "We believe it is important to study VNS as a possible treatment for anxiety disorders."
The pilot study began at the end of May at the MUSC when the first participant was implanted with the NCP. The participant is a 23-year-old woman with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The study consists of 30 participants at four study sites who have OCD, panic disorder, or adult onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The implant procedure takes about 30 minutes to one and a half hours, and is usually performed on an outpatient basis. Small incisions are made in the neck (for a nerve stimulation electrode) and the chest (for a stopwatch-sized generator). The most common side effects of the implant in patients with epilepsy are voice change, throat discomfort, a feeling of shortness of breath, and cough. On the other hand, if VNS is found to be an effective treatment for anxiety disorders, patients will be able to avoid common side effects associated with current pharmacological treatments.
VNS has been used with over 11,000 epilepsy patients in 24 countries since 1988. The treatment has already been approved to treat people with treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder in Canada and Europe. You may stay up-to-date on the progress of VNS as a treatment for anxiety disorders at the Cyberonics website.
thanks,
spidy.
An innovative treatment may be on the way as Cyberonics, Inc. begins a pilot study of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS™) and anxiety disorders. Developed as a treatment for epilepsy, VNS has already been shown to help severe depression, in studies. Researchers believe the positive benefits of VNS may also help treatment-resistant anxiety disorders.
VNS is administered through an implant called the "NeuroCybernetic Prosthesis" (NCP®), a device similar to a pacemaker. The NCP is implanted in the neck and chest, and it works by sending signals from the vagus nerve in the neck to the brain. The vagus nerve is the main pathway used to send information about heart rate and breathing from the body to the brain. In people with epilepsy, VNS has been shown to reduce seizures with continued improvement over time.
Because VNS has been shown to have positive effects on mood, Cyberonics has conducted studies on the use of VNS for treating severe, treatment-resistant depression.
Ongoing results are favorable, and, because of these results, Cyberonics decided that people with anxiety disorders might also benefit from the neurochemical and brain activation effects of VNS.
"Despite the availability of effective treatments for anxiety disorders, only a minority of patients experience complete sustained remission and the majority remain at least somewhat symptomatic or do not improve at all," stated Dr. Mark George of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in a press release. "We believe it is important to study VNS as a possible treatment for anxiety disorders."
The pilot study began at the end of May at the MUSC when the first participant was implanted with the NCP. The participant is a 23-year-old woman with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The study consists of 30 participants at four study sites who have OCD, panic disorder, or adult onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The implant procedure takes about 30 minutes to one and a half hours, and is usually performed on an outpatient basis. Small incisions are made in the neck (for a nerve stimulation electrode) and the chest (for a stopwatch-sized generator). The most common side effects of the implant in patients with epilepsy are voice change, throat discomfort, a feeling of shortness of breath, and cough. On the other hand, if VNS is found to be an effective treatment for anxiety disorders, patients will be able to avoid common side effects associated with current pharmacological treatments.
VNS has been used with over 11,000 epilepsy patients in 24 countries since 1988. The treatment has already been approved to treat people with treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder in Canada and Europe. You may stay up-to-date on the progress of VNS as a treatment for anxiety disorders at the Cyberonics website.
thanks,
spidy.