Deep brain stimulation
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently being used in the treatment of symptoms in movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease. Clinical trials are underway exploring the use of DBS for treatment-resistant forms of various disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder (AUD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) at Sunnybrook’s Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation.
DBS is a neurosurgical procedure that directly impacts dysfunctioning brain circuits. It involves inserting thin electrodes into deep brain structures and electrically stimulating them in a controllable and ultimately reversible manner with a pacemaker-like device.
If you need help in an emergency, please call 911 or visit your local emergency department. If you’re feeling like you’re in crisis or need somebody to talk to, please know that help is also available through community resources:
- Find a local crisis resource at sunnybrook.ca/gethelp
- Crisis Services Canada
- Phone: 24-hour, toll-free 1-833-456-4566
- Text: 45645 (4:00 p.m. – midnight Eastern Time)
- Kids Help Phone
- Phone: 24-hour, toll-free, 1-800-668-6868
- Text: 686868 (24 hours, 7 days a week)