Brain-responsive neurostimulation for epilepsy (RNS® System)

Epilepsy Res. 2019 Jul:153:68-70. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2019.02.003. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Abstract

Controlled clinical trials in adults with medically intractable focal seizures treated with the RNS® System demonstrate that closed-loop responsive neurostimulation to the seizure focus reduces the frequency of disabling seizures, is well tolerated, and is acceptably safe. Seizure reductions begin with initiation of treatment and continue over time, reaching median reductions of 75% after 9 years of treatment. Treatment with responsive cortical stimulation is also associated with improvement in quality of life and cognitive function related to the functional area being treated. In addition, the RNS System's chronic ambulatory electrocorticographic monitoring provides unprecedented insight into each patient's disease management, and into the study of epilepsy itself, in ways that may enhance the treatment of epilepsy in the future.

Keywords: Brain-responsive neurostimulation; Closed-loop; Epilepsy; Focal onset; Medically intractable epilepsy; Neurostimulation; Responsive.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Cognition Disorders / therapy
  • Deep Brain Stimulation / methods*
  • Drug Resistant Epilepsy / therapy
  • Electrodes, Implanted
  • Electroencephalography
  • Epilepsy / complications
  • Epilepsy / psychology
  • Epilepsy / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Implantable Neurostimulators*
  • Quality of Life