Neurosurg Focus
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Review Comparative Study
Brain stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy.
The treatment of patients with refractory epilepsy has always been challenging. Despite the availability of multiple antiepileptic medications and surgical procedures with which to resect seizure foci, there is a subset of epilepsy patients for whom little can be done. Currently available treatment options for these unfortunate patients include vagus nerve stimulation, the ketogenic diet, and electric stimulation, both direct and indirect, of brain nuclei thought to be involved in epileptogenesis. ⋯ Soon after, in 2011, the results of a second randomized, controlled trial-the NeuroPace RNS trial-were published. The RNS trial examined closed-loop, responsive cortical stimulation of seizure foci in patients with refractory partial epilepsy, again finding significant reduction in seizure frequency. In the present review, the authors examine the modern history of electrical stimulation of the brain for the treatment of epilepsy and discuss the results of 2 important, recently published trials, the SANTE and RNS trials.