Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Manhasset: A Durable Option for Depression That Hasn't Lifted

Cardiac medicine has depended on implanted devices to correct irregular heartbeats since 1958, long before psychiatry considered anything similar for the brain. Vagus nerve stimulation closes that gap, using a small generator placed beneath the skin to send steady electrical signals along the vagus nerve into the parts of the brain responsible for mood.

At Anxiety & Depression Psychiatry, our vagus nerve stimulation clinic in Manhasset supports adults whose depression has continued through medication changes, therapy, and other approaches without lasting improvement. Many of these patients also explore our ketamine therapy service in Manhasset while weighing their options, and Manhasset residents can look into the work of their Nassau County Legislator, who also serves as Vice Chair of the county’s Health and Social Services Committee.

Extending from the base of the brain through the neck into the chest and abdomen, the vagus nerve influences heart rate, breathing, digestion, and mood, making it one of the most extensive nerves in the body.

A VNS system is built around a compact pulse generator, roughly the size of a pocket watch, implanted beneath the skin near the collarbone. A thin lead connects it to the left vagus nerve in the neck, delivering programmed electrical pulses on a schedule your care team sets.

Over time, these pulses appear to reshape activity in brain regions tied to mood, encouraging new neural pathways to develop. That gradual process is why VNS takes months to show its full effect, though the benefit tends to remain steady once it’s established.

VNS received FDA clearance in 2005 as an add-on treatment for adults with chronic or recurring depression who haven’t responded to at least four separate antidepressant trials. The American Psychiatric Association counts VNS among reasonable options once standard treatments, ECT included, haven’t led to lasting improvement.

VNS could be worth exploring if:

• Several antidepressant trials haven’t brought lasting relief
• Depression continues to reappear despite ongoing treatment
• Other approaches such as TMS, ketamine, or Spravato haven’t sustained their benefit
• A continuous form of treatment appeals more than repeated sessions or dosing

VNS also carries FDA approval for bipolar depression and can be combined with current medications or used on its own.

A large, multicenter study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, reported through the university’s own news office, found that VNS was linked to sustained improvements in mood, daily functioning, and quality of life among patients who had lived with depression for decades and tried more than a dozen prior treatments.

A separate report on the RECOVER trial, published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, tracked outcomes over 24 months among patients with markedly treatment-resistant depression, adding further detail on how durable the benefit remains over time.

Durability continues to be one of the strongest points in favor of VNS. Once implanted, the device delivers therapy without repeat office visits or added dosing, with battery life typically lasting close to a decade before replacement is needed.

If depression has held on through round after round of treatment, the best vagus nerve stimulation in Manhasset is worth a direct conversation with our team. Call (646) 830-0131 to schedule a consultation and find out whether VNS or a different interventional path fits your situation.

“A technology built to steady heartbeats now helps steady mood, and that still feels remarkable every time I see it change someone’s life.” — Dr. Tomer Levin