TY - JOUR
T1 - Neuropsychological safety of nucleus accumbens deep brain stimulation for major depression
T2 - Effects of 12-month stimulation
AU - Grubert, Christiane
AU - Hurlemann, René
AU - Bewernick, Bettina H.
AU - Kayser, Sarah
AU - Hadrysiewicz, Barbara
AU - Axmacher, Nikolai
AU - Sturm, Volker
AU - Schlaepfer, Thomas E.
PY - 2011/10
Y1 - 2011/10
N2 - Objectives. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the nucleus accumbens (NAcc-DBS) has antidepressant effects in patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, limited information exists regarding the impact of NAcc-DBS on cognitive functioning. The aim of this study was to examine whether NAcc-DBS in patients with TRD has any cognitive effects. Methods. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery was administered to 10 patients with TRD before onset of bilateral NAcc-DBS and after 1 year of DBS stimulation. Neuropsychological testing covered the domains of attention, learning and memory, executive functions, visual perception, and language. Performance was analyzed at baseline and after 1 year of continuous DBS. Results. No evidence was found for cognitive decline following NAcc-DBS comparing test results after 1 year of NAcc-DBS with baseline. However, significantly improved cognitive performance on tests of attention, learning and memory, executive functions and visual perception was found. In addition, there was a general trend towards cognitive enhancement from below average to average performance. These procognitive effects were independent of the antidepressant effects of NAcc-DBS or changes in NAcc-DBS parameters. Conclusions. These results not only support cognitive safety of NAcc-DBS but also stress its beneficial role in augmenting cognitive performance in patients with TRD.
AB - Objectives. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the nucleus accumbens (NAcc-DBS) has antidepressant effects in patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, limited information exists regarding the impact of NAcc-DBS on cognitive functioning. The aim of this study was to examine whether NAcc-DBS in patients with TRD has any cognitive effects. Methods. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery was administered to 10 patients with TRD before onset of bilateral NAcc-DBS and after 1 year of DBS stimulation. Neuropsychological testing covered the domains of attention, learning and memory, executive functions, visual perception, and language. Performance was analyzed at baseline and after 1 year of continuous DBS. Results. No evidence was found for cognitive decline following NAcc-DBS comparing test results after 1 year of NAcc-DBS with baseline. However, significantly improved cognitive performance on tests of attention, learning and memory, executive functions and visual perception was found. In addition, there was a general trend towards cognitive enhancement from below average to average performance. These procognitive effects were independent of the antidepressant effects of NAcc-DBS or changes in NAcc-DBS parameters. Conclusions. These results not only support cognitive safety of NAcc-DBS but also stress its beneficial role in augmenting cognitive performance in patients with TRD.
KW - Major depressive disorder
KW - PET
KW - deep brain stimulation
KW - neuropsychological tests
KW - nucleus accumbens
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80054862014&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80054862014&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3109/15622975.2011.583942
DO - 10.3109/15622975.2011.583942
M3 - Article
C2 - 21745125
AN - SCOPUS:80054862014
SN - 1562-2975
VL - 12
SP - 549
EP - 558
JO - World Journal of Biological Psychiatry
JF - World Journal of Biological Psychiatry
IS - 7
ER -