The cover of the March 7, 2005 issue of Business Week titled REWIRING THE HUMAN BODY, describes how neuromodulation brings new hope to the four million desperate patients in the United States who suffer from the debilitating disease of chronic or treatment-resistant depression.
The neuromodulation industry is just in its infancy and could double over the next several years as doctors are thrilled by this vision of the body electric. Why these implantable devices work are a bit of a mystery, but the potential upside is great. Unlike most antidepressants, these implants produce few side effects and are aimed at patients that currently have no alternative therapies that adequately treat their depression.
Cyberonics Inc., the manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator, was listed as the leading company in the field of neuromodulation. The vagus nerve stimulator has been used to treat pharmaco-resistant epilepsy since 1997, now the FDA has approved the identical procedure to treat depression. This is wonderful news for the millions of desperate patients( and their families) who have been endlessly searching for an answer to their incurable disease.