Listening to Patients: A Pillar for the Epistemology of Neurointerventions

摘要

In their article, “Patients’ beliefs about deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment resistant depression,” Lawrence, Kaufmann, DeSilva, and Appelbaum analyze the responses of 24 psychiatric inpatients with treatmentresistant depression to deep brain stimulation (DBS) (Lawrence et al. in press). Their findings indicate that patients have minimal interest in DBS unless they are convinced that their condition is deteriorating or the evidence for its effectiveness strengthens. They express concerns about the DBS surgical procedure and its potential adverse effects. The findings also confirm the worry that patients are vulnerable in making decisions about DBS, i.e., their ability to weigh the risks and benefits is compromised due to depression. In addition, they are prone to maintaining unrealistic expectations due to media influence.