Rightly billed as “a pacemaker for the brain,” the pocket watch sized device is the newest cutting-edge treatment for as many as 4 million adults who failed to get relieved from severe depression by psychotherapy, drugs or even shock treatments!



It was approved eight months ago by the Food and Drug Administration. Since then, to have a vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implanted in their chests to activate parts of their brains, more than 550 Americans have undergone surgery. And another 7,000 people are seeking approval from their insurance companies for the $25,000 operation. They are all aided by a network of nurses, who were hired by Cyberonics, the Houston-based manufacturer of the device.



Via: Inside Bay Area