Brain Implant May Prevent Epilepsy Seizures
This could be exciting news for people with uncontrolled epilepsy.
An implanted stimulator, the Responsive Neurostimulator System (RNS) made by Neuropace, may be able to stop seizures before they begin.
Over 2.5 million Americans suffer from epilepsy. Even with medication, up to 50% of patients continue to have seizures or intolerable side effects from seizure medication.
Another potential treatment involves surgically removing the part of the brain that triggers seizures. But that treatment may be too risky or ineffective for some patients.
Researchers at the Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and other medical institutions are starting patient studies with RNS now.
The device has a computer chip that detects abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Then it delivers small amounts of electrical stimulation to stop a seizure before the patient experiences symptoms.
This is the first system to deliver a current directly to the brain. Plus it only delivers an electrical current when a seizure is detected.
RNS is surgically implanted within the skull beneath the scalp. Then it’s connected to 1 or 2 wires with electrodes that are placed either within the brain or resting on the brain surface where the seizures start.
A previous RNS study with 65 adults who had uncontrolled epilepsy indicated that the device was safe.
Participants in the current study must be from 18 to 70 years old and meet all of the following conditions:
1. You must have significant disabling motor simple partial seizures, complex partial seizures and/or secondarily generalized seizures…
2. You must have experienced an average of 3 or more disabling seizures every 28 days for 3 consecutive periods prior to enrollment in the study and have no greater than 2 regions in the brain that induce seizures…
3. You must have failed treatment with at least 2 antiepileptic medications.
The study is expected to last 2 to 3 years.
There are risks involved. First, there’s the obvious risk of brain surgery. Then it’s possible your seizures may get worse. There may also be side effects or adverse reactions which are not yet known.
If you have epilepsy and wish to learn more about this study or you want to participate in it, you should call Jefferson at 1-800-JEFF-NOW for more information.
There are other institutions participating in the study as well.
Some of these institutions include Johns Hopkins University, Mayo Clinic, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, University of Southern California, Yale University School of Medicine, University of Florida, Swedish Medical Center, and University of Rochester.
You can contact NeuroPace, Inc., for a complete list at 1-877-67-NEURO.