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By Mayo Clinic staffStimulating the brain using a variety of methods is the newest frontier in depression treatment, but it is controversial. One form of stimulation, deep brain stimulation, is a standard treatment for people with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and dystonia. Some people with those conditions who underwent deep brain stimulation reported an improved mood. Because of those results, some researchers say the procedure might also help depression when standard treatments, such as antidepressants, psychotherapy or electroconvulsive therapy, don't work.
Exactly how deep brain stimulation can affect depression isn't clear. Researchers theorize that certain regions deep within the brain influence mood and depression. They believe that the areas associated with depression may be overactive in certain people. Sending electrical impulses to these areas may "reset" them to normal functioning.
