Neurostimulation as a Method of Treatment and a Preventive Measure in Canine Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Current State and Future Prospects

Marta Nowakowska; Muammer Üçal; Marios Charalambous; Sofie F M Bhatti; Timothy Denison; Sebastian Meller; Gregory A Worrell; Heidrun Potschka; Holger A Volk

doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.889561

Neurostimulation as a Method of Treatment and a Preventive Measure in Canine Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Current State and Future Prospects

Front Vet Sci. 2022 Jun 16:9:889561. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.889561. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Marta Nowakowska¹, Muammer Üçal¹, Marios Charalambous², Sofie F M Bhatti³, Timothy Denison⁴, Sebastian Meller², Gregory A Worrell⁵, Heidrun Potschka⁶, Holger A Volk²

Affiliations

¹ Research Unit of Experimental Neurotraumatology, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
² Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany.
³ Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Engineering Science, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.
⁶ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.

Abstract

Modulation of neuronal activity for seizure control using various methods of neurostimulation is a rapidly developing field in epileptology, especially in treatment of refractory epilepsy. Promising results in human clinical practice, such as diminished seizure burden, reduced incidence of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy, and improved quality of life has brought neurostimulation into the focus of veterinary medicine as a therapeutic option. This article provides a comprehensive review of available neurostimulation methods for seizure management in drug-resistant epilepsy in canine patients. Recent progress in non-invasive modalities, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation is highlighted. We further discuss potential future advances and their plausible application as means for preventing epileptogenesis in dogs.

Keywords: deep brain stimulation; dogs; drug-resistant epilepsy; epileptogenesis; seizure; transcranial magnetic stimulation; vagus nerve stimulation.

Publication types

Review