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Possible new avenues in epilepsy treatement: the stimulation techniques. Deep brain stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation

Published inSchweizer Archiv für Neurologie und Psychiatrie, vol. 162, no. 2, p. 51-56
Publication date2011
Abstract

Stimulation techniques have been extensively explored as new treatments for epilepsy, and their efficacy is still being investigated, albeit several approaches appear to be very promising. Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) has been a well established palliative therapy for almost 20 years, however, complete seizure control is rarely obtained. Its favourable effect on mood has been noted in several studies, and VNS was FDA-approved for the treatment of major depression in 2005. Intracerebral electrical stimulation is currently being evaluated as a potential treatment for patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy in whom surgery cannot be offered. We summarise the results of various studies applying deep brain stimulation (DBS) to different brain structures, particularly to the mesial temporal lobe. From these studies, it appears that the efficiency of DBS to reduce epileptic seizures is demonstrated in a sufficiently large patient population but the exact determinants (physical parameters, syndromes) of its success (or its absence) remain unknown. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) has been investigated as an antiepileptic treatment in patients with focal seizure onset by several groups, however, the clinical success is variable and in most studies rather low.

Keywords
  • Epilepsy
  • Deep brain stimulation
  • Vagus nerve stimulation
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • Pharmacoresistance
Citation (ISO format)
BOEX, Colette et al. Possible new avenues in epilepsy treatement: the stimulation techniques. Deep brain stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation. In: Schweizer Archiv für Neurologie und Psychiatrie, 2011, vol. 162, n° 2, p. 51–56. doi: 10.4414/sanp.2011.02241
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Additional URL for this publicationhttps://sanp.ch/article/doi/sanp.2011.02241
Journal ISSN0258-7661
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