Background: Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is an effective palliative therapy in drug-resistant epileptic patients and is also approved as a therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Depression is a frequent comorbidity in epilepsy and it affects the quality of life of patients more than the seizure frequency itself. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the available literature about the VNS effect on depressive symptoms in epileptic patients. Material and methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed, and results were included up to January 2020. All studies concerning depressive symptom assessment in epileptic patients treated with VNS were included. Results: Nine studies were included because they fulfilled inclusion criteria. Six out of nine papers reported a positive effect of VNS on depressive symptoms. Eight out of nine studies did not find any correlation between seizure reduction and depressive symptom amelioration, as induced by VNS. Clinical scales for depression, drug regimens, and age of patients were broadly different among the examined studies. Conclusions: Reviewed studies strongly suggest that VNS ameliorates depressive symptoms in drug-resistant epileptic patients and that the VNS effect on depression is uncorrelated to seizure response. However, more rigorous studies addressing this issue are encouraged.

Antidepressant effect of vagal nerve stimulation in epilepsy patients: a systematic review / Assenza, G.; Tombini, M.; Lanzone, J.; Ricci, L.; Di Lazzaro, V.; Casciato, S.; Morano, A.; Giallonardo, A. T.; Di Bonaventura, C.; Beghi, E.; Ferlazzo, E.; Gasparini, S.; Giuliano, L.; Pisani, F.; Benna, P.; Bisulli, F.; De Falco, F. A.; Franceschetti, S.; La Neve, A.; Meletti, S.; Mostacci, B.; Sartucci, F.; Striano, P.; Villani, F.; Aguglia, U.; Avanzini, G.; Belcastro, V.; Bianchi, A.; Cianci, V.; Labate, A.; Magaudda, A.; Michelucci, R.; Verri, A.; Zaccara, G.; Pizza, V.; Tinuper, P.; Di Gennaro, G.. - In: NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES. - ISSN 1590-1874. - 41:11(2020), pp. 3075-3084. [10.1007/s10072-020-04479-2]

Antidepressant effect of vagal nerve stimulation in epilepsy patients: a systematic review

Ricci L.;Casciato S.;Morano A.;Giallonardo A. T.;Di Bonaventura C.;Gasparini S.;Pisani F.;Villani F.;Bianchi A.;Verri A.;Di Gennaro G.
2020

Abstract

Background: Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is an effective palliative therapy in drug-resistant epileptic patients and is also approved as a therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Depression is a frequent comorbidity in epilepsy and it affects the quality of life of patients more than the seizure frequency itself. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the available literature about the VNS effect on depressive symptoms in epileptic patients. Material and methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed, and results were included up to January 2020. All studies concerning depressive symptom assessment in epileptic patients treated with VNS were included. Results: Nine studies were included because they fulfilled inclusion criteria. Six out of nine papers reported a positive effect of VNS on depressive symptoms. Eight out of nine studies did not find any correlation between seizure reduction and depressive symptom amelioration, as induced by VNS. Clinical scales for depression, drug regimens, and age of patients were broadly different among the examined studies. Conclusions: Reviewed studies strongly suggest that VNS ameliorates depressive symptoms in drug-resistant epileptic patients and that the VNS effect on depression is uncorrelated to seizure response. However, more rigorous studies addressing this issue are encouraged.
2020
Depression; Drug-resistant epilepsy; Epilepsy; Systematic review; Vagal nerve stimulation
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01g Articolo di rassegna (Review)
Antidepressant effect of vagal nerve stimulation in epilepsy patients: a systematic review / Assenza, G.; Tombini, M.; Lanzone, J.; Ricci, L.; Di Lazzaro, V.; Casciato, S.; Morano, A.; Giallonardo, A. T.; Di Bonaventura, C.; Beghi, E.; Ferlazzo, E.; Gasparini, S.; Giuliano, L.; Pisani, F.; Benna, P.; Bisulli, F.; De Falco, F. A.; Franceschetti, S.; La Neve, A.; Meletti, S.; Mostacci, B.; Sartucci, F.; Striano, P.; Villani, F.; Aguglia, U.; Avanzini, G.; Belcastro, V.; Bianchi, A.; Cianci, V.; Labate, A.; Magaudda, A.; Michelucci, R.; Verri, A.; Zaccara, G.; Pizza, V.; Tinuper, P.; Di Gennaro, G.. - In: NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES. - ISSN 1590-1874. - 41:11(2020), pp. 3075-3084. [10.1007/s10072-020-04479-2]
File allegati a questo prodotto
File Dimensione Formato  
s10072-020-04479-2.pdf

solo gestori archivio

Note: Assenza_Antidepressant effect of vagal nerve stimulation_2020
Tipologia: Versione editoriale (versione pubblicata con il layout dell'editore)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 401.95 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
401.95 kB Adobe PDF   Contatta l'autore

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1468379
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 2
  • Scopus 11
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 10
social impact