Thalamic stimulation for epilepsy

Abstract

With the growing applications for deep brain stimulators (DBS) in recent years, interest in using DBS as an option for patients with epilepsy has increased. Thalamic DBS appears to be a viable minimally invasive treatment for patients experiencing medically intractable seizures. Thalamic DBS has been associated with significant reduction in seizure frequency and an improvement in overall quality of life, especially in patients who have failed maximal antiepileptic drugs or other surgical alternatives. However, further work is necessary to identify the subgroups of patients experiencing medically intractable seizures who may benefit from DBS, and also to indentify optimal stimulation parameters and mode of stimulation.