Brain implants can used to treat depression according to a new study from University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

The study, first published in science magazine Nature, said the implant acts as a “neural pacemaker” which detects brain activity associated with irrational thoughts, which it then interrupts with an electrical burst.

The device is triggered about 300 times a day in six-second intervals according to the research, and these bursts cannot be felt by the patient directly.

The first patent Sarah, who is 36, had the device installed over a year ago and said the implant alleviated her symptoms.

Sarah’s score on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating – a scale commonly used to rate depression’s severity – fell from 36 to 14 in two weeks.

Prior to the implant, the scientists performed a 10-day exploration of Sarah’s brain, placing multiple electrodes inside it and examined her feelings when they applied stimulation to different locations in varying doses.

Brain implants, or Deep brain stimulation (DBS), are already commonly used as a treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.

The scientists have already enrolled two more patients and aim to recruit another nine.

Electronic brain interfaces are seeing significant private sector investment. Neuralink, an Elon Musk founded start-up that is looking to create an electronic brain interface said it raised $205 million in July. LINK

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