The article “Deep Brain Stimulation Makes Cautious Inroads to Psychiatry” by Barbara Rich and Ann Whitman introduces an important technique in neurosurgical technique, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which is currently investigated as a promising tool for treating psychiatric disorders. Although very few people have undergone DBS, in the future the number of DBS patients is likely to increase due to the positive results this procedure demonstrates. Moreover, since the area of DBS application is likely to expand in the future, when the importance of the circuits in the neural systems is further investigated, DBS might become relevant for a larger number of psychiatry practitioners. Therefore, the awareness created by the current article should convince readers to follow the DBS research progress more carefully.
Although DBS is considered a minor and a reversible surgery, which is not as invasive as traditional surgical procedures, its effects still need to be investigated. Moreover, while the authors mention the use of DBS for treating movement disorders, they do not elaborate on its possible side effects. They also do not consider the fact that DBS could demonstrate new complications, when it is applied to other brain areas and for treating other illnesses. In addition to that, it is important to be critical about the effects of the trial treatment, since very little time has elapsed since then, and the chance of disease relapse should be considered as a possibility. Therefore, it is still necessary to question DBS application in psychiatry.
I believe, the use of DBS for treating psychiatric disorder is indeed a breakthrough for many patients, who did not have a chance for recovery using more traditional treatments. However, the current level of research in this field is not sufficient for introducing DBS as regular treatment procedure. Therefore, further investigation in the field of psychiatry and brain circuit systems can give hope to patients with severe cases of depression, Tourette’s syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as suggest further areas for DBS application.
