Epidural Cortical Stimulation for Depression — EpCS-D  

Treatment Resistant Depression Clinical Trial

Official title: A Pilot Safety and Efficacy Study of Epidural Prefrontal Cortical Stimulation (EpCS) in Severe Treatment Resistant Depression

Status Active, not recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Objective: Chronic epidural cortical stimulation (ECS) involves the neurosurgical placement of an electric wire on the surface of the brain with intermittent activation. Over time, ECS modulates local and distal connected brain regions. It is being currently applied over the motor cortex to treat intractable pain. Because of the important role played by the medial prefrontal cortex in mood regulation, the goal of this study is to apply this minimally invasive neurostimulation modality over medial prefrontal cortex in severely ill depressed subjects who have failed all other attempts at treatment.

Clinical Trial Description

Hypothesis: Severely Treatment Resistant Unipolar Depressed Subjects with EpCS of medial prefrontal cortex will show a significant decrease in depression symptoms at 6 months post-implant when compared to baseline and to a matched control group treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Method: We will enroll 5 subjects with severe refractory depression in an open trial with a 1 month placebo lead in, and for up to 1 years. We will also naturalistically follow 5 matched control patients treated with ECT. Depressive and cognitive symptoms will be rated periodically to assess the safety and efficacy of this procedure.

Significance: This study takes advantage of the expertise at MUSC with various neuromodulation technologies to begin answering the crucial role of targeted cortical brain stimulation and its potential role in treatment resistant depression. This is a crucial pilot study that might lead to an entire new class of therapies for depression. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depression
• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant
• Treatment Resistant Depression

• NCT number: NCT00565617
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Medical University of South Carolina
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 2007
• Completion date: December 2028