Responsive Neurostimulation for the Treatment of Epilepsy

Abstract

There are a significant number of patients with epilepsy who are drug-resistant and for whom resective procedures are not an option. For these patients, neuromodulation may be an option, including closed-loop stimulation, such as responsive neurostimulation (RNS). The RNS System is a programmable and responsive device that consists of leads, a pulse generator, and an external programmer. An algorithm detects specific patterns of epileptogenic activity and triggers focal stimulation to interrupt a seizure. RNS is an effective and safe adjunctive therapy that in addition to seizure frequency reduction may have other applications, such as drug-response evaluation and long-term electrocorticography recording.

Keywords: Closed-loop neurostimulation; Cortical stimulation; Focal seizures; Focal stimulation; Neuromodulation; Partial seizures; Responsive stimulation.