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Mechanisms of Action of Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders

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Deep Brain Stimulation

Abstract

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has recently emerged as a potential treatment for medically intractable psychiatric disease. Pilot clinical studies have been performed with DBS of the subcallosal cingulate (SCC) white matter and ventral anterior internal capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) for the treatment of depression and obsessive–compulsive disorder with encouraging results. However, little is known about the underlying neural response and network activity generated when DBS is applied to these targets. This chapter summarizes the current understanding of the axonal response to DBS, and discusses the general network architectures believed to underlie psychiatric disease. We use diffusion tensor imaging tractography to better understand axonal trajectories surrounding DBS electrodes implanted in the SCC and VC/VS. Finally, we attempt to reconcile various data sets by presenting generalized hypotheses on potential therapeutic mechanisms of DBS for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue ND20, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA

    J. Luis Lujan & Cameron C. McIntyre

Authors
  1. J. Luis Lujan
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  2. Cameron C. McIntyre
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Correspondence to Cameron C. McIntyre .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of A, PO Box 75867, Amsterdam, 1070 AW, Netherlands

    Damiaan Denys

  2. , Neuromodulation and Behaviour, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, 1105 BA, Netherlands

    Matthijs Feenstra

  3. , Department of Neurosurger, Academic Medical Center, University of A, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1070 AW, Netherlands

    Rick Schuurman

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Lujan, J.L., McIntyre, C.C. (2012). Mechanisms of Action of Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders. In: Denys, D., Feenstra, M., Schuurman, R. (eds) Deep Brain Stimulation. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30991-5_3

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