Most people think of depression as a problem of mood. However, in long-standing depression, parts of the brain involved in memory, emotional resilience, and long-term cognitive health can actually begin to shrink. One of the most important of these structures is the hippocampus. Interestingly, this is not a new or controversial idea. For decades, brain…
A practical, science-based look at mild cognitive impairment, memory decline, and treatments that address the brain’s underlying regulatory systems. Been forgetting small things? Unable to remember if you did something? Maybe you’ve had the uncomfortable experience of a family member telling you in an irritated tone of voice that you’re repeating yourself. That’s especially bad…
Mood disorders and the problem of regulation When we talk about mood disorders, we typically describe them using emotional terms. Perhaps unsurprisingly, phrases such as anxiety, irritability, loss of interest, low mood, or emotional numbness tend to dominate conversation. For many people, however, these labels feel incomplete and only reflect part of the story. What…
This post is about VNS after stroke and how VNS helps with recovery. VNS is short for vagus nerve stimulation, a form of bioelectric neuromodulation, a nuanced treatment for brain disorders. It’s been around for decades, but recent discoveries mean it no longer requires invasive surgery. We’ve been using the noninvasive form of VNS at…
Bioelectric Neuromodulation: Vagus Nerve Stimulation Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a form of bioelectric neuromodulation, a way of stimulating the brain to regulate neurophysiology. We’re getting rewarding results using vagus nerve stimulation across a range of conditions, including major depressive disorder. The idea has been around for some decades. In 2005 the FDA approved the…
