Normalized affective responsiveness following deep brain stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle in depression.

ABSTRACT: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the supero-lateral medial forebrain bundle (slMFB) is associated with rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Beyond that, improvements in social functioning have been reported. However, it is unclear whether social skills, the basis of successful social functioning, are systematically altered following slMFB DBS. Therefore, the current study investigated specific social skills (affective empathy, compassion, and theory of mind) in patients with TRD undergoing slMFB DBS in comparison to healthy subjects. 12 patients with TRD and 12 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects (5 females) performed the EmpaToM, a video-based naturalistic paradigm differentiating between affective empathy, compassion, and theory of mind.

SUBMITTER: Kilian HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10774255 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature