Medtronic's implantable OCD treatment okayed by FDA
By Darren Murph 
posted Feb 24th 2009 2:25AM
posted Feb 24th 2009 2:25AM
Looks like those brain pacemaker researchers are a bit late on this one, as folks at Medtronic are apt to get the jump on advanced OCD treatment given a recent FDA approval of their device. Hailed as the first implantable device "designed to deliver electrical therapy to the brain to suppress symptoms associated with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder," the Reclaim DBS (deep brain stimulation) Therapy was said to be able to treat OCD patients in cases where drugs and psychotherapy failed. Understandably, Medtronic is doing everything it can to get the product out by the middle of this year, and following up on its good fortune, it also proclaimed that it had started up a randomized clinical trial of DBS for treatment-resistant depression. There's no mention of an expected price, but apparently only 4,000 or so will be needed each year.[Via Vos Iz Neias, thanks yossi]
most importantly the logo... its a magic trick
It'd be funnier if the solid blue guy was facing the other direction.
I refreshed this page 540 times to make sure the price wasn't put up during that time.
I see what you did there.
This would only work for me if they put one in on both sides.
I prefer the soma, but, in any case, here's the future: happy slavery!
Who would have thought passing electricity through such a complex organ could fix so many problems, what will they think of next? curing headaches with drills? removing parts of the frontal lobe or even electro shock therapy! FDA $$Approved$$
What obsessive-Computer Disorder?
I'm usually the first to make all kinds of insensitive jokes on engadget, but this one is personal for me. I've been on every treatment possible with not much luck. Thank god this could actually become a commercial possibility in the near future!
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml
BTW, its interesting that they find that a statistically significant percentage of individuals with OCD have many of the geek characteristscs including high intelligence, interest in mathematics/science/technology/etc, intense and prolonged focus (when not being distracted by OCD), etc..
But then there would be no Monk...
"intense and prolonged focus"... Come on,, thats just when I look at porn...