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Columbia University Medical Center NewsroomCUMC Expert Resources
| ![[picture of Sarah Lisanby, MD]](http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/news/pics/Lisanby.jpg) Sarah Lisanby, MD,
The FDA announced that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) was approved for the long-term management of medication resistant depression. This is the first device, since ECT, to be approved by the FDA for any psychiatric indication. Prior to this announcement, the only approved treatment for medication resistant depression was electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Dr. Sarah Lisanby, director of the Brain Stimulation and Neuromodulation Division at Columbia University Medical Center was an investigator on the first study of VNS in the treatment of depression, and has used VNS in depressed patients in the context of research studies. Dr. Lisanby is available for interviews about VNS. VNS is commonly referred to as a “pacemaker for the brain.” An electrical device like a pacemaker is implanted in the chest. Electrical leads are connected to the vagus nerve in the neck. The vagus nerve sends impulses to the brain. VNS is a way of using the vagus nerve to modulate brain function. VNS is already approved for the treatment of epilepsy and studies have shown promise in treating depression. VNS is the first treatment to ever be approved for treatment resistant depression. Studies suggest that VNS may work when medications fail, and that it may help maintain remission in the long-term.
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