Efficacy of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for depression in elderly

Background: Depression is one of the common mental illnesses affecting over 300 million subjects all over the world and has been considered a main cause of disability in recent years. Objective: To investigate the effect of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (NVNS) for depression in elderly. Patients and Methods Forty patients diagnosed with depression; their age 60-70 years old. They were selected according to inclusion criteria from Matareya Teaching Hospital and were divided into two groups equal in number Group A (Study group): Twenty (20) patients received vagus nerve stimulation as adjuvant to standard medical treatment and psychotherapy. Group B (Control group): Twenty (20) patients received standard care for major depressive disorder (MDD) patients in the form of medical treatment and psychotherapy. Results: There was statistically significant difference between two groups in the form of improvement the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale post treatment for group A and laboratory results of C-reactive protein (CRP), pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Serotonin post-treatment for group A in comparison to other group who did not receive non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation. Conclusion: Use of NVNS for elderly patients with depression is an effective additional adjuvant intervention to alleviate symptoms and reduce the severity of the disease.