Epilepsy Responds to Brain Stimulation

Affecting an estimated 50 million people worldwide, epilepsy is a neurological disorder involving recurrent seizures, which can interrupt consciousness and cause convulsions, confusion or sensory disturbances. Robert Fisher, from Stanford University School of Medicine (California, USA), and colleagues implanted deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices in the thalamus region of the brains of 110 study subjects, all of whom suffered from regular epileptic seizures and were nonresponsive to conventional drug treatment. As compared to a control group who did not receive the stimulation devices, 41% of the patients receiving DBS showed a reduction in seizures after 13 months, and 56% experienced a reduction after two years. The researchers conclude that: “Bilateral stimulation of the anterior nuclei of the thalamus reduces seizures. Benefit persisted for 2 years of study. Complication rates were modest. Deep brain stimulation of the anterior thalamus is useful for some people with medically refractory partial and secondarily generalized seizures.”