I am an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. I
have treated severely depressed patients for over
15 years in a hospital setting and in my office.
I have done ECT for 13 years. In my opinion we
need options other than ECT to treat these
patients. ECT is often effective but the
cognitive side effects making using it as along
term treatment ethically questionable. We need
something that is safe an effective to keep
patients out of depression once they have
recovered, or as is usually the case, partially
recovered. While I have limited first hand
experience with VNS, I do think we need this
treatment and Deep Brain Stimulation as
alternatives and compliments to medications and
ECT. It is frustrating for the patient, family,
and the treater to make a good effort and see the
patient relapse into a painful depression.