Incisionless radiosurgery shows promise for severe, treatment-resistant depression
A highly focused, incisionless form of radiation therapy significantly reduced symptoms of major depression and thoughts of suicide among patients with severe, treatment-resistant psychiatric illness in a prospective observational study. Results were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.
A prospective observational study revealed that a non-invasive, targeted radiation therapy significantly alleviated symptoms of severe, treatment-resistant depression among patients who had not responded to other treatments. The study, presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, followed 20 patients who underwent stereotactic radiosurgical capsulotomy.
Prior to treatment, 14 of the patients reported suicidal thoughts; afterward, this figure decreased to just one. Ninety-nine percent of patients experienced some improvement in depression symptoms, with an average decrease in Beck Depression Inventory scores of 53%. Suicidal ideation also diminished sharply, with only 5% of patients reporting such thoughts after treatment.
Importantly, the cognitive function and neurologic health of patients remained stable throughout the study. While the study shows promise for this treatment approach, larger, controlled trials are necessary to confirm the findings and establish the long-term benefits and risks.
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