A groundbreaking personalized brain stimulation technique offers hope for individuals battling drug-resistant epilepsy. The future of epilepsy treatment is here, and it's personalized!
Mayo Clinic researchers have crafted a revolutionary approach to deep brain stimulation (DBS), tailoring it to each patient's unique brain wave patterns. This marks a significant departure from the traditional one-size-fits-all method, allowing physicians to pinpoint the exact brain region where stimulation yields the best results.
DBS involves implanting electrodes in the brain to deliver electrical pulses, a treatment that, while effective, has typically been administered with a standardized electrode placement. However, Mayo Clinic physician-scientists are now customizing the treatment, targeting the individual's seizure network before DBS implantation.
"Our goal is to create a personalized neuromodulation approach for every patient," explains Dr. Nick Gregg, a Mayo Clinic neurologist and lead author of a paper published in the Annals of Neurology. "We're shifting from a generic approach to an individualized one, maximizing seizure network engagement to better manage abnormal brain wave activity."
Researchers identify the specific area in the thalamus, a small but crucial relay hub deep within the brain, that connects to a patient's seizure network. This allows them to fine-tune stimulation settings for each individual. Since seizures are sporadic, clinicians analyze erratic brain wave patterns to detect abnormal activity.
"We aim to disrupt the pathological hypersynchrony and reduce network excitability, thereby lowering seizure risk," says Dr. Gregg.
Ten patients received this personalized approach during their evaluation for epilepsy surgery. The next research phase will follow those who have since received permanent DBS implants using this tailored method.
"Our long-term vision is to silence the seizure network, allowing it to be forgotten. By reorganizing the neuronal network, we could potentially move from seizure control to a cure for epilepsy," Dr. Gregg adds.
This research is part of Mayo Clinic's Bioelectronic Neuromodulation Innovation to Cure (BIONIC) initiative, a collaboration between clinical expertise and cutting-edge engineering to develop novel diagnostics and therapies. Through intellectual property development, strategic partnerships, and patient-centered trials, BIONIC translates innovation into tangible impact, improving care for complex neurological conditions.
Dr. Gregg's research was supported by the Tianqiao & Chrissy Chen Institute.
Source: Annals of Neurology
Journal Reference: Gregg, N. M., et al. (2025). Thalamic Stimulation Induced Changes in Network Connectivity and Excitability in Epilepsy. Annals of Neurology. doi: 10.1002/ana.78087. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ana.78087
