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A large-scale study by Chinese scientists, published in November 2025 in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, demonstrated significant DBS efficacy in patients with treatment-resistant depression. In the open-label clinical trial at Ruijin Hospital (Shanghai) involving 26 patients, half of participants experienced notable improvements, and one-third achieved nearly complete symptom resolution.
Study participants had experienced severe depression for years that was unresponsive to conventional methods. Electrodes were placed in two brain regions simultaneously:
- BNST region – plays a central role in regulating stress, anxiety, and response to long-term emotional stress.
- Nucleus accumbens – a key center of the brain's reward system, responsible for processing pleasure, motivation, and emotional reinforcement.
Both regions have long been considered important in depression mechanisms, and scientists wanted to understand whether simultaneous stimulation would enhance the effect.
Nine participants achieved remission, meaning nearly complete disappearance of disease manifestations. Patients reported improved well-being, reduced anxiety, and enhanced quality of life.
A particularly valuable part of the study was that scientists identified an objective indicator for predicting which patients would benefit most from treatment.
In addition to brain data, researchers assessed participants' emotional responses to various images, from neutral to unpleasant. Those who reacted especially strongly to negative images, such as accidents or injuries, improved much less frequently after stimulation. This may become another criterion for patient selection.
Parallel to the open-label study, the team conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial of DBS for treatment-resistant depression, those results will be published later.
DBS is still rarely used in psychiatry, but scientists note its potential in this field. The most common current indications for brain stimulation are Parkinson's disease and certain types of epilepsy. The method can also be applied in treating Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
In Russia, several medical centers employ this advanced technique for neurodegenerative and other diseases, including Parkinson's disease. These include the Federal Center of Brain and Neurotechnology of FMBA in Moscow, as well as the V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology in St. Petersburg.
Source: Nature Communications
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