In an effort to further understand why vagus nerve stimulation therapy is more effective than anitidepressants with patients who suffer from chronic depression, the manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator, Cyberonics, Inc., announced the launch of the first treatment-resistant depression(TRD) patient registry. This registry that will help the medical community's understanding of TRD, and determine which pateints are most appropriate for this procedure. I think that the data produced from the registry will significantly help psychiatrists further understanding how this vagus nerve stimulation is effective.

There are twenty-two centers across the United Stated which will participate in this very valuable study. Some of the centers which have agreed to participate in the TRD Registry are:

• Columbia University/New York Presbyterian Hospital
• Massachusetts General Hospital
• Sheppard Pratt Health System
• UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
• Medical University of South Carolina
• University of Connecticut Health Center
• SUNY Upstate Medical University at Syracuse
• Oregon Health & Science University
• University of Florida
• University of South Florida
• Wake Forest University
• Florida Atlantic University
• University of Mississippi Medical Center
• Buffalo Medical Group, University of Pittsburgh
• Henry Ford Health System
• University of Massachusetts
• University of Utah
• Medical College of Virginia and Rush-Presbyterian Chicago

The TRD Registry is overseen by the TRD Registry Advisory Board led by Martin B. Keller, M.D., Mary E. Zucker Professor and Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI.

There are several objectives of the registry, which will include 2,000 patients. The main objective of the TRD Registry is to follow the clinical course and outcome for patients with TRD treated with and without adjunctive VNS Therapy. In order to be included in the study, patients must be suffering depression, who are experiencing a major depressive episode and have not had an adequate response to four or more adequate treatments. Half of the patients in the registry will receive adjunctive VNS Therapy. Thirty patients, of which 25 receive VNS Therapy, have already been enrolled in the registry.

This is very important for all sufferers of chronic depression, their families and loved ones. The more data, the better. Fortunately, I was implanted with this device over five years ago in the investigational trial. It is now an FDA approved procedure, which requires a prescription from your psychiatrist.

You can learn more about this treatment at http://www.VagusNerveStimulator.com