Epilepsy Brain Pacemaker Designed
U.S. scientists
say they have developed a unique nerve-stimulation treatment for people
unable to control their epileptic seizures with medication or surgery.
The device developed by neuroscientists at
UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine and the Valencia, Calif.-based,
Advanced Bionics Corp., is a trigeminal nerve stimulator that uses a "brain
pacemaker" to stimulate a nerve involved in inhibiting seizures.
The trigeminal nerve extends into the brain
from the face and forehead, and is known to play a role in seizure inhibition.
The stimulator and electrodes used to transmit an electrical current to
the nerve can be worn externally or implanted.
The technology and results of a successful
pilot human clinical trial are detailed in the July edition of the peer-reviewed
journal Epilepsia.
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