---
title: "Stimulating This Part of the Brain Alleviates Depression Symptoms"
description: "Scientists figured out the ideal brain region to target with deep brain stimulation in order to alleviate depression symptoms."
date: "2018-11-29"
modified: "2018-11-29"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/deep-brain-stimulation-depression"
categories:
  - "Brain"
  - "Health & Medicine"
tags:
  - "deep brain stimulation"
  - "medicine"
  - "neuroscience"
  - "the digest"
---

# Stimulating This Part of the Brain Alleviates Depression Symptoms

![Scientists figured out the ideal brain region to target with deep brain stimulation in order to alleviate depression symptoms.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/deep-brain-stimulation-depression.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Electric City

Shocking a specific region of the brain called the lateral orbitofrontal cortex with a mild electrical stimulus almost immediately boosted the moods of people with signs of depression, according to a new study [published Thursday](<https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(18)31355-1>) in the journal *Current Biology*.

Because deep brain stimulation requires access to the deep brain, the research was conducted on people who were already receiving brain surgery for [severe epilepsy, reports](<https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/29/671866099/scientists-improve-mood-by-stimulating-a-brain-area-above-the-eyes?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=science>) the *BBC*.

## Happy Center

For years, neuroscientists have [linked the lateral orbitofrontal cortex](<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29691380>), one of the brain regions most responsible for [complex thought](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/dementia-deep-brain-stimulation>), with depression.

So it's not altogether surprising that zapping it with a neural probe alleviated some depressive symptoms.

## Sweet, Distant Dream

But this particular study merely paves the way for more research on how to best treat depression — the low number of participants (just 25) and the highly-invasive methodology make it an impractical treatment.

And the fact that the improved moods dissipated shortly after the neurostimulation cast doubt on how useful this research could be from a [clinical standpoint](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/brain-zapping-pacemaker-implant-treatment-opioid-addiction>).

**READ MORE:** [Scientists Improve Mood By Stimulated A Brain Area Above The Eyes](<https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/29/671866099/scientists-improve-mood-by-stimulating-a-brain-area-above-the-eyes?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=science>) \[*BBC*\]

***More on deep brain stimulation: [SHOCKING A PERSON’S BRAIN COULD MAKE THEM LESS VIOLENT, STUDY SHOWS](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/shocking-brain-reduces-violence>)***

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)