| In an effort to further understand why vagus nerve | | | | objective of the TRD Registry is to follow the clinical |
| stimulation therapy is more effective than | | | | course and outcome for patients with TRD treated |
| anitidepressants with patients who suffer from | | | | with and without adjunctive VNS Therapy. In order |
| chronic depression, the manufacturer of the vagus | | | | to be included in the study, patients must be |
| nerve stimulator, Cyberonics, Inc., announced the | | | | suffering depression, who are experiencing a major |
| launch of the first treatment-resistant | | | | depressive episode and have not had an adequate |
| depression(TRD) patient registry. This registry that | | | | response to four or more adequate treatments. Half |
| will help the medical community's understanding of | | | | of the patients in the registry will receive adjunctive |
| TRD, and determine which pateints are most | | | | VNS Therapy. Thirty patients, of which 25 receive |
| appropriate for this procedure. I think that the data | | | | VNS Therapy, have already been enrolled in the |
| produced from the registry will significantly help | | | | registry.This is very important for all sufferers of |
| psychiatrists further understanding how this vagus | | | | chronic depression, their families and loved ones. The |
| nerve stimulation is effective.There are twenty-two | | | | more data, the better. Fortunately, I was implanted |
| centers across the United Stated which will | | | | with this device over five years ago in the |
| participate in this very valuable study. Some of the | | | | investigational trial. It is now an FDA approved |
| centers which have agreed to participate in the TRD | | | | procedure, which requires a prescription from your |
| Registry are: Columbia University/New York | | | | psychiatrist.You can learn more about this treatment |
| Presbyterian Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital | | | | at Donovan was a patient in the FDA investigational |
| Sheppard Pratt Health System UT Southwestern | | | | trial of vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for |
| Medical Center at Dallas Medical University of South | | | | chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression. |
| Carolina University of Connecticut Health Center | | | | He was implanted with the vagus nerve stimulator in |
| SUNY Upstate Medical University at Syracuse Oregon | | | | April of 2001. He chronicles his journey from the grips |
| Health & Science University University of Florida | | | | of depression thanks to vagus nerve stimulation |
| University of South Florida Wake Forest University | | | | therapy in his book:Out of the Black Hole: The |
| Florida Atlantic University University of Mississippi | | | | Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and |
| Medical Center Buffalo Medical Group, University of | | | | Depression. Forward by John M. Zajecka, M.D. of |
| Pittsburgh Henry Ford Health System University of | | | | Rush University Medical and Nancy Williger, Ph.D. of |
| Massachusetts University of Utah Medical College of | | | | Washington UniversityHis all inclusive book prepares |
| Virginia and Rush-Presbyterian ChicagoThe TRD | | | | depression sufferers to make an informed decision |
| Registry is overseen by the TRD Registry Advisory | | | | about this ninety-minute out-patient procedure. It is a |
| Board led by Martin B. Keller, M.D., Mary E. Zucker | | | | "must read" before you discuss this treatment with |
| Professor and Chairman, Department of Psychiatry | | | | your psychiatrist. A prescription for the procedure is |
| and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School, | | | | required from an M.D. and it is covered by most |
| Providence, RI. There are several objectives of the | | | | insurance plans.He is the founder of the Web Site |
| registry, which will include 2,000 patients. The main | | | | and Bulletin. |