Thread by @Altostrata

$10K cost per patient: "In late 2012, when the team finally had 6 months of data on 90 patients, the depression-score reductions....[were] essentially matched by the control group, who after 6 months with inactive devices had 17% hitting the improvement target & 7% in remission."

https://twitter.com/shvogt/status/1445791909826338820

"As expected, it failed to help many....1st year, 10/90 patients left the study (& 4 had their devices removed), for reasons ranging from worsening depression to a suicide attempt. Eventually, of the 90 patients, 37—most of those who’d felt no benefit—had the devices removed."

"Also as expected for a surgical intervention in so depressed a population, some experienced side effects & complications....at least 9 ppl reported increased depression, 6 got infections, & several more suffered side effects such as headaches or postoperative discomfort or pain"

...."either at 1 of the surgery sites or from...bowstringing, in which the battery leads running under the skin between chest & skull bond with tissue & create pulling sensations. 3 patients grew more anxious. 1 considered suicide. 1 tried it and lived. 2 tried it & died."

"Ogburn reports a harrowing tale of “severe cognitive decline,” continued depression, & severe pain in his head & around the electrical leads running between chest & head. None of these, he says, were relieved when Stanford removed the implants, wiring, & battery in Dec 2013."

Of those who tolerated the implant (number not disclosed), all devices active, no control group: "The 2-year results for these intensely sick people—half reaching the 40% improvement threshold, almost 1/3 in remission—stand sharply at odds with the 6-month scores." @David_Dobbs

@David_Dobbs Expect deep brain stimulation to have the same marginal efficacy as any other #psychiatric intervention, but this highly invasive, high-risk procedure will be enthusiastically endorsed (& overused) because when people are this "sick", any amount of risk is justified in treatment.