ABSTRACT
OVERVIEW Major depression is a common and debilitating disorder. It has been estimated that half of depressed patients treated with standard antidepressant medications do not show evidence of adequate response (1). A recent large multicenter clinical trial examined the effectiveness of serial antidepressant treatment interventions in (n ¼ 3671) depressed outpatients [STAR*D (sequenced treatment alternatives to relieve depression)] (2). Through a stepwise progression through multiple, serially administered, adequate antidepressant treatment trials, this trial demonstrated a cumulative remission rate of only 67% (3). Non-pharmacological neurostimulation therapies may offer additional options for depressed patients who have failed to respond to standard psychotherapy and pharmacological therapies.
