Cortical stimulation against depression

This article is taken from the monthly Sciences et Avenir n°944, dated October 2025.

This is the story of a 44-year-old man, who had suffered from severe depression for thirty years and had failed multiple treatments, who, thanks to personalized deep brain stimulation—the insertion of an implant—felt joy for the first time and saw his suicidal thoughts disappear in seven weeks. This feat was reported by Ziad Nahas's team at the University of Minnesota (United States).

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The researchers relied on an experimental neurosurgical procedure never before tested in humans. Called Pace (Personalized adaptive cortical electro-stimulation), the device is an electrical stimulation adapted to the specific neuronal architecture of the patient.

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No relapse

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Initially, an MRI scan of his brain was performed, providing a detailed description of the functioning of brain networks known to be linked to depression. Then, in 2023, researchers implanted electrodes in this area before electrically stimulating them.

Declared in remission, the patient has not experienced a relapse since the intervention. The experiment is already planned for other patients.