The Deep End
The Deep End
Science News
Many of us are struggling. But treatments for mental health disorders like depression don’t help everyone. Join us for a 6-part look at the lives of people who have volunteered to test an experimental therapy: permanent brain implants. It will change the way you think about mental health, the brain and maybe even yourself.
Life after deep brain stimulation
Jon Nelson shares how he’s doing these days, now that his depression is gone.
Mar 24, 2025
39 min
Their depression is gone. Now what?
Several years after surgery, Jon and others have found relief. Here’s a look at what’s next for them and what’s next for deep brain stimulation research.
Mar 17, 2025
23 min
A 'no casserole' disease
Jon details the intense stigma, shame and judgement that comes with depression and its treatments. Is there something different about changing our brains versus other body parts?
Mar 10, 2025
22 min
Living with brain electrodes
After surgery, Jon went through some big transformations. But his relief came with trade-offs.
Mar 3, 2025
26 min
The void is gone
Jon Nelson wasn’t scared of brain surgery. His worry about the procedure was the same amount of worry he had about getting his teeth cleaned — none. What happened next was surreal.
Feb 24, 2025
24 min
‘It felt like dread’
Jon Nelson explains what it’s like to live with severe depression, and listeners hear the backstory of an experimental treatment involving brain implants.
Feb 17, 2025
24 min
Meet Jon Nelson
Hear why he volunteered to get brain implants for his relentless depression.
Feb 10, 2025
23 min
The Deep End Trailer
Brain implants for depression: It sounds like science fiction but it’s real. The Deep End, a new podcast from Science News, will give you a glimpse of what it’s like to live with electrodes in your brain. It might change how you think about mental health, the brain and what makes you you.
Feb 3, 2025
2 min