US Trial Finds Vagus Nerve Stimulation Lifts Severe Depression 69% Over 2 Years

2 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Jul 4

493 U.S. patients with treatment-resistant depression entered the RECOVER trial, and 69% of those given active vagus nerve stimulation from the start showed meaningful improvement after 12 months.
More than 80% of those initial responders maintained or improved their gains at 24 months, while 92% of patients with a 50% symptom reduction at year one were still benefiting two years in.
One in five patients was effectively free of depressive symptoms after two years, and roughly one-third of year-one nonresponders improved by month 24, suggesting the implanted therapy can work slowly.
The study targeted an unusually severe group—patients had lived with depression for 29 years on average, had failed about 13 prior treatments, and three-quarters were unable to work.
The findings could shape a U.S. Medicare coverage decision for VNS, which the FDA approved for treatment-resistant depression in 2005 but CMS still does not cover; device maker LivaNova funded the trial.

Sources

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Vagus Nerve Stimulation Delivers Durable Relief for 80% of Patients in RECOVER Trial for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Overview

The RECOVER trial, published in early 2026, marks a breakthrough for people with severe, treatment-resistant depression. This large study focused on patients who had struggled with depression for nearly three decades and failed many previous treatments. The trial showed that Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) therapy brought significant and lasting improvements, offering new hope to those with few options left. These results highlight the urgent need for effective therapies in this challenging group and demonstrate that VNS can provide durable benefits across important areas of life for patients who have not responded to other treatments.

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