Drug Resistent Epilepsy Responds to Stimulation

Pharmaceutical treatment of epilepsy is the predominant therapy for most patients, but for an estimated one million patients with epilepsy, these drugs simply don't work.

A new treatment called trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) is a non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical new approach. An external stimulator is worn attached to the patients belt or carried in their pocket. The external stimulator wires go under the patient's clothing and attach to the scalp, where they emit a signal to the trigeminal nerve, one of the cranial nerves in the face known to have a role in inhibiting seizures. 

Ask your doctor about new epilepsy treatments.

Dr. Christopher DeGiorgio, a UCLA professor of neurology and lead inventor of TNS announced this new nerve stimulation can be delivered to both sides of the brain at high frequencies. Electrical energy doesn't travel directly into the brain, so TNS provides a new, safe method to modulate the brain.

DeGiorgio continued to explain TNS worked well in 40 percent of patients during this Phase II trial.  Working well in this case is defined by at least a 50 percent reduction in seizures.

He finds this very significant. Degiorgio concludes that a safe, non-invasive approach to neuromodulation compares quite nicely with surgical or pharmaceutical options for drug-resistant epilepsy.

Along with the reduction in seizures, patients also had their spirits improve.  One of the common side effects in people with epilepsy is depression, so spirits improving could hopefully enhance quality of lives as well.

These results go along well with the positive Phase I trial reported in 2009.