In a test, researchers tried using electrical stimulation on the spine to help with depression.
The results showed that this method works well, is safe, and could be a useful way to treat depression.
Let's find out more about how it works.
How it was discovered
The main researcher focused on understanding how the brain and body connect in mental health issues.
The pathways in the spinal cord send information from the body to parts of the brain that handle feelings, like regulating mood.
The team came up with a new way using gentle spinal cord stimulation to adjust how the brain and body interact.
This stimulation tries to slow down the flow of information in the brain-body system, helping the brain regulate itself better.
In the test, 20 people with major depression took part to see if this stimulation is doable and safe.
They had three 20-minute sessions every week for eight weeks.
Results showed that people handled the stimulation well, with only a bit of skin redness and short itching.
Those who got the stimulation had fewer depressive symptoms compared to those who didn't.
Since the study had a small group, we need to be careful in how we understand the results, but they suggest this could be a helpful treatment.
More info needed
More research is necessary to repeat and confirm these results in bigger groups of people.
The team of researchers is looking for extra money to do larger tests and create a portable device for spinal cord stimulation.
Previously, we talked about organoids.
