Gin S Malhi, Colleen Loo, Catherine M Cahill, Jim Lagopoulos, Philip Mitchell, Perminder Sachdev
Abstract
To summarize and review the utility of physical interventions in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
A systematic review of the literature pertaining to novel physical interventions, namely, transcranial magnetic stimulation, deep brain stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, and neurosurgery, was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PSYCHLIT. Bibliographies of papers were scrutinized for further relevant references along with literature known to the authors.
Currently available physical interventions worldwide are reviewed with respect to efficacy, applications, and putative indications. Physical interventions have experienced a resurgence of interest for both the investigation of brain function and the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. The widespread availability of neuroimaging technology has advanced our understanding of brain function and allowed closer examination of the effects of physical treatments. Clinically, transcranial magnetic stimulation seems likely to have a role in the management of depression, and its use in other neuropsychiatric disorders appears promising. Following on from its success in the management of intractable epilepsy, vagus nerve stimulation is undergoing evaluation in the treatment of depression with some success in refractory cases. Deep brain stimulation has improved mood in patients with Parkinson's disease and may also relieve symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Neurosurgery has re-invented itself by way of increased technical sophistication, and although further assessment of its efficacy and clinical utility is still needed, its widespread practice reflects its increasing acceptance as a viable treatment of last resort.
It is clear that physical treatments are here to stay and "getting physical" offers a useful addition to the neuropsychiatrist's therapeutic armamentarium. However, like all new treatments these interventions need to remain under rigorous scientific scrutiny to determine accurately their immediate and long-term effects.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
4
4%
Unspecified
3
3%
Other
10
11%
Unknown
37
39%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 06 May 2023.
All research outputs
#9,454,470
of 27,574,537 outputs
Outputs from Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
#1,192
of 3,190 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#50,671
of 185,664 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
#8
of 14 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 27,574,537 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 42nd percentile – i.e., 42% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
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