Safe Effective Nondrug Treatment of Chronic Depression: A Review of Research on Low-Voltage Cranial Electrical Stimulation and Other Adjunctive Therapies

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Norman Shealy ◽  
Paul Thomlinson
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Antidepressant Drugs ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Chronic Depression ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
Pain Patients ◽  
Nonpharmacological Treatments

Although clinical practice guidelines tend to emphasize pharmacological treatments for chronic depression, safe and effective nondrug treatments are available. This article reviews three decades of research at the Shealy Institute on nonpharmacological treatments for chronic depression in chronic pain patients via low-voltage electrical stimulation and other adjunctive therapies. More than 30,000 chronically depressed patients have been treated with cranial electrical stimulation at 1 to 2 mA at 15,000 Hz, modulated at 500 and 15 Hz. Approximately half of patients treated with this approach experienced marked clinical improvement. When combined with photostimulation at 1 to 7 Hz, 85% of patients improved adequately without use of antidepressant drugs and without complications. Magnesium replacement and nutrition education are useful adjuncts. This program is cost effective and can be carried out by a nurse practitioner and an assistant. Further controlled clinical research and research on mechanisms of action would strengthen the validity of these findings and increase the application of these therapeutic approaches.

scholarly journals Cost-effectiveness of adding psychomotor therapy to a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for chronic pain

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-130
Author(s):  
Lia Van der Maas ◽  
Judith E. Bosmans ◽  
Maurits W. Van Tulder ◽  
Thomas W.J. Janssen
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Rehabilitation Program ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Data Uncertainty ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
Pain Patients

Introduction: This study assesses the cost-effectiveness (CE) of a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program (treatment as usual [TAU]) with and without psychomotor therapy (PMT) for chronic pain patients. Methods: Chronic pain patients were assigned to TAU + PMT or TAU using cluster randomization. Clinical outcomes measured were health-related quality of life (HRQOL), pain-related disability, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Costs were measured from a societal perspective. Multiple imputation was used for missing data. Uncertainty surrounding incremental CE ratios was estimated using bootstrapping and presented in CE planes and CE acceptability curves. Results: Ninety-four chronic pain patients (n = 49 TAU + PMT and n = 45 TAU) were included. There were no significant differences in HRQOL, Pain Disability Index, and QALYs between TAU + PMT and TAU. Direct costs in TAU + PMT were significantly higher than in TAU (mean difference €3327, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1329; 5506). However, total societal costs in TAU + PMT were not significantly higher than in TAU (mean difference €642, 95% CI −3323; 4373). CE analyses showed that TAU + PMT was not cost-effective in comparison with TAU. Conclusions: Adding PMT to a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program is not considered cost-effective in comparison with a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program alone. The results of this study should be interpreted with caution because of the small sample size and high drop-out rate.

scholarly journals Validation, reproducibility and safety of trans dermal electrical stimulation in chronic pain patients and healthy volunteers

BMC Neurology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Remigiusz Lecybyl ◽  
Juan Acosta ◽  
Joydeep Ghoshdastidar ◽  
Kinga Stringfellow ◽  
Magdi Hanna
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
Pain Patients

Pain Influences Several Levels of Attention

2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid von Bueren Jarchow ◽  
Bogdan P. Radanov ◽  
Lutz Jäncke
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Divided Attention ◽  
Covert Attention ◽  
Attention Task ◽  
Attentional Deficits ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
Divided Attention Task ◽  
Pain Stimuli ◽  
Pain Patients

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine to what extent chronic pain has an impact on various attentional processes. To measure these attention processes a set of experimental standard tests of the “Testbatterie zur Aufmerksamkeitsprüfung” (TAP), a neuropsychological battery testing different levels of attention, were used: alertness, divided attention, covert attention, vigilance, visual search, and Go-NoGo tasks. 24 chronic outpatients and 24 well-matched healthy control subjects were tested. The control subjects were matched for age, gender, and education. The group of chronic pain patients exhibited marked deficiencies in all attentional functions except for the divided attention task. Thus, the data supports the notion that chronic pain negatively influences attention because pain patients` attention is strongly captivated by the internal pain stimuli. Only the more demanding divided attention task has the capability to distract the focus of attention to the pain stimuli. Therefore, the pain patients are capable of performing within normal limits. Based on these findings chronic pain patients' attentional deficits should be appropriately evaluated and considered for insurance and work related matters. The effect of a successful distraction away from the pain in the divided attention task can also open new therapeutic aspects.

Cerebellopontine Angle Surgery Assisted by Continuous Mapping of the Facial Nerve Via the Ultrasonic Aspirator

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Cenzato ◽  
Roberto Stefini ◽  
Francesco Zenga ◽  
Maurizio Piparo ◽  
Alberto Debernardi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Facial Nerve ◽  
Cerebellopontine Angle ◽  
Continuous Mapping ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Current Intensity ◽  
Vestibular Schwannomas ◽  
Constant Current ◽  
Surgical Workflow ◽  
Ultrasonic Aspirator

Abstract Background Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) surgery carries the risk of lesioning the facial nerve. The goal of preserving the integrity of the facial nerve is usually pursued with intermittent electrical stimulation using a handheld probe that is alternated with the resection. We report our experience with continuous electrical stimulation delivered via the ultrasonic aspirator (UA) used for the resection of a series of vestibular schwannomas. Methods A total of 17 patients with vestibular schwannomas, operated on between 2010 and 2018, were included in this study. A constant-current stimulator was coupled to the UA used for the resection, delivering square-wave pulses throughout the resection. The muscle responses from upper and lower face muscles triggered by the electrical stimulation were displayed continuously on multichannel neurophysiologic equipment. The careful titration of the electrical stimulation delivered through the UA while tapering the current intensity with the progression of the resection was used as the main strategy. Results All operations were performed successfully, and facial nerve conduction was maintained in all patients except one, in whom a permanent lesion of the facial nerve followed a miscommunication to the neurosurgeon. Conclusion The coupling of the electrical stimulation to the UA provided the neurosurgeon with an efficient and cost-effective tool and allowed a safe resection. Positive responses were obtained from the facial muscles with low current intensity (lowest intensity: 0.1 mA). The availability of a resection tool paired with a stimulator allowed the surgeon to improve the surgical workflow because fewer interruptions were necessary to stimulate the facial nerve via a handheld probe.

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