ABSTRACT
The goal of the treatment of epilepsy is to eliminate seizures while causing no side
effects. For persons whose seizures are refractory, epilepsy surgery may be an option.
In addition, these patients may benefit from the vagus nerve stimulator (VNS), the
first device approved for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. Although VNS was the
first to be approved, investigators have been interested in the effectiveness of stimulating
other brain regions: the cerebellum, thalamus, subthalamic nucleus, and locus coeruleus
are a few examples. These studies have produced mixed results. As our understanding
of the underlying mechanisms of epilepsy grows, it is likely that we will design better
and more effective devices for the treatment of epilepsy.
KEYWORD
Vagus nerve stimulator - cerebellar stimulator - thalamic stimulator - refractory
- epilepsy
