Researchers said that developing brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation and deep brain stimulation are emerging as significant treatment options for the millions of patients “poorly served” by existing therapies.

Of the 14 million U.S. adults who suffer from a major depressive disorder each year, 7.2 million receive treatment, of which 4 million get little to no relief from existing therapies or are unable to tolerate antidepressant drugs.

“Despite major advances in disease awareness, delivery of care, and safer, more tolerable pharmacologic options, the effectiveness of drug therapy for major depression is fundamentally no better than it was two decades ago,” said Dr. Mark Demitrack, vice president and chief medical officer of Neuronetics (Malvern, Pennsylvania) and chairman of the symposium, in a presentation titled, “Difficult to Treat Depression: Better Choices, Better Outcomes.”