Abstract
Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been used for neuropsychiatric disorders in clinical and research settings for almost 50 years now. Recent evidence demonstrates some efficacy in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder and major depression in patients refractory to other treatment modalities beyond single case reports. This has led to a considerable surge of clinical and commercial interest in DBS for psychiatric indications. Because of the high vulnerability of psychiatric patients, the lack of extensive short- and long-term data about effectiveness and the rapid spread of questionable indications this new field in psychiatry requires ethical criteria that can be applied to both research and clinical decision-making. Objective and Methods: We here present an evidence-based systematic ethical analysis of psychiatric DBS using the criteria of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and autonomy. Results and Conclusions: The proposed criteria are helpful in analyzing empirical evidence, informing research investigations and guiding clinical decision-making. This will prepare the ground for ethically justified, empirically comprehensive DBS in this highly vulnerable population and allow stringent future societal discussions about its legitimation.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 7-16 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Brain Stimulation |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- deep brain stimulation
- major depression
- neuroethics
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience
- Biophysics
- Clinical Neurology