Effects of vagus nerve stimulation on daily function and quality of life in markedly treatment-resistant major depression: Findings from a one-year, randomized, sham-controlled trial
Rush AJ, Conway CR, Aaronson ST, George MS, Riva-Posse P, Dunner DL, Zajecka J, Bunker MT, Quevedo J, Allen RM, et al.
Brain Stimulation · 2025
Key finding
In a 12-month sham-controlled trial of markedly treatment-resistant depression, adjunctive VNS produced modest but significant gains in quality-of-life and function on several measures, though not all.
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- Condition
- Depression
- Stimulation
- taVNS
- Evidence tier
- Randomised Controlled Trial
- Participants
- 493
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Cite this study
Rush, A. J., Conway, C. R., Aaronson, S. T., George, M. S., Riva-Posse, P., Dunner, D. L., Zajecka, J., Bunker, M. T., Quevedo, J., Allen, R. M., Alva, G., Luing, H., Nahas, Z., Manu, L., Bennett, J. I., Mickey, B. J., Becker, J., Sheline, Y., Cusin, C., … Sackeim, H. A. (2025). Effects of vagus nerve stimulation on daily function and quality of life in markedly treatment-resistant major depression: Findings from a one-year, randomized, sham-controlled trial. Brain Stimulation, 18(3), 690-700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2024.12.1187
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