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By Mayo Clinic staffIf vagus nerve stimulation works as hoped, your depression symptoms will improve or go away completely. It may take several months of treatment with vagus nerve stimulation before you notice any improvements in your depression symptoms.
Keep in mind that vagus nerve stimulation generally isn't meant to replace traditional treatments. You may still need to take antidepressant medication or attend psychotherapy appointments, for instance.
- Dougherty DD, et al. Vagus nerve stimulation. In: Stern TA, et al. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/205162974-3/0/1657/451.html?tocnode=57543416&fromURL=451.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04743-2..50048-2--cesec4_1191. Accessed June 10, 2010.
- George MS, et al. Nompharmacological somatic treatments. In: Hales RE, et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=332262. Accessed June 14, 2010.
- VNS Therapy system — P970003s050. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/DeviceApprovalsandClearances/Recently-ApprovedDevices/ucm078532.htm. Accessed June 14, 2010.
- Grimm S, et al. Efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation in the treatment of depression. Expert Reviews of Neurotherapeutics. 2010;10:87.
- Implantation procedure. Cybertronics. http://dynamic.cyberonics.com/manuals/doc_download.asp?docid={D6761ECC-D653-4175-84CB-E8C4AF92645D}. Accessed June 14, 2010.
- Schachter SS, et al. Vagus nerve stimulation therapy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 10, 2010.

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