Key Treatments
- Pharmacotherapy:
- Involves the use of medications like antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anxiolytics.
- Example: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase serotonin levels in the brain to treat depression.
- Strengths: Puts a name to the disorder so it is easier to process mentally, able to ease symptoms while patient undergoes a different treatment
- Weaknesses: Possibility of addiction, testing is difficult as it is unclear what would have happened to the patient if they did not take the medication and does not cure the disorder
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT):
- Used for severe depression and treatment-resistant cases.
- Procedure: Electrical currents induce brief seizures to alter brain chemistry.
- Strength: Used when medicinal drugs fails
- Weakness: Reports of memory loss after treatment, which may cause further stress
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS):
- Involves implanting electrodes in specific brain regions to regulate abnormal activity.
Supporting Study
Case studyMayberg et al. (2005) - Deep Brain Stimulation for Depression
Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of DBS in treating severe, treatment-resistant depression.
Method: Clinical trial.
Procedure:
- Six patients with severe depression received DBS targeting the subgenual cingulate region.
- Depression severity was measured before and after the procedure.
Results:
- Four out of six patients showed significant improvement in symptoms.
- Improvements were maintained over several months.
Conclusion: DBS shows promise for treating severe depression but requires further research.
Critical Thinking
Strengths and Weaknesses
- Strengths: Provides relief for treatment-resistant cases and has measurable physiological effects.
- Weaknesses: Can cause side effects like memory loss or physical discomfort.
Applications
- Offers alternatives when traditional therapies fail.
- Informs the development of more precise brain-targeting techniques.
- Invasive treatments like DBS require rigorous informed consent.
- Raises questions about long-term safety and accessibility.
