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Research Highlights
Suthana et al N Engl J Med 2012 366(6): 502-510
The potential use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a therapy for dementia and the effects of DBS on memory have recently gained considerable attention. In a recent report, Suthana and colleagues have studied the effects of electrical stimulation in seven patients undergoing depth electrode implantation to map epileptic seizures. Patients were requested to complete a task in which they were show a virtual city and asked to deliver passengers to different stores. During half of the trials, patients received electrical stimulation though electrode contacts placed in the hippocampus or entorhinal cortex. While receiving entorhinal stimulation, patients were faster to reach the landmarks and did so through shorter routes. As this is a small trial conducted in patients with epilepsy, results have to be interpreted with caution. However, findings from this study suggest that stimulation of limbic circuits may influence memory performance.
Clement Hamani, Toronto, Canada
Okun et al. Lancet Neurol 2012; 11(2): 140-49.
In a recent study, Okun and colleagues report on the results of an unblinded, multicentre, controlled trial designed to investigate the effects of constant-current subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The primary outcome variable was a change in "on" time without bothersome dyskinesias (good quality "on" time) as recorded in the patients' diaries. Controls were patients who received the implants but did not have their systems activated in the first three months. Overall, both patients receiving active stimulation and controls reported an increase of good quality on time. This increase however, was significantly greater in patients treated with DBS. Improvement in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor scores after 3 months of STN DBS was 39% in the "off" medication condition. This trial demonstrates the safety and efficacy of constant current STN stimulation for the treatment of PD.Clement Hamani, Toronto, Canada
Holtzheimer et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2012; 66(2):150-158.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been investigated as a therapy for major depression disorder. In a recent study, Holtzheimer and colleagues report on the effects of DBS in the subgenual cingulum in patients with depression and bipolar II disorder. Seventeen patients underwent a one-month single-blinded sham stimulation phase, followed by 24 weeks of active stimulation. Patients were then followed for up to 2 years. A modest improvement after the insertion of the electrodes was noticed during the sham stimulation phase. Overall, 41% of the patients were considered to be responders at 24 weeks (Hamilton scores improved by ?50% as compared to baseline), 36% at 1 year (n= 14) and 92% at 2 years (n= 12). Findings from this trial corroborate those published in previous reports and suggest that DBS may be safe and effective for the treatment of depression and bipolar II disorder.
Clement Hamani, Toronto, Canada
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Awards
Contratulations to Patrick Schweder, MD, who received the 2011 Philip L. Gildenberg, MD, PhD Stereotactic and Functional Resident Award.
Contratulations to Demiter Serletis, MD, who received the 2010 Philip L. Gildenberg, MD, PhD Stereotactic and Functional Resident Award for his paper entitled "Multifractal Complexity in Epileptiform Hippocampal Dynamics" at the CNS meeting in Philadelphia. Below is a picture of Dr. Serletis receiving the award from Dr. Gildenberg.
Congratulations to the following recipients of the ASSFN Resident and Fellow Awards at the 2008 meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Hong Yu, MD - "Predicting Brain Shift in Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery"
Hong Yu, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Pierre-Francois D'Haese, Srivatsan Pallavaram, Prashanth Dumpuri, Benoit M. Dawant, Joseph S. Neimat, Peter E. Konad. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Witold Libionka, MD - "A Central Role for Adenosine in Deep Brain Stimulation"
Witold Libionka. Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Cracow, Poland.
Sepehr Sani, MD - "Chronic Stimulation Of The Posterior Hypothalamic Region For Cluster?Headache: Twenty One Month Follow Up Results In Eight Patients"
Sepehr Sani, Shoichi Shimamoto, Nicholas M. Barbaro, Abraham J. Nagy, Philip A. Starr. University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
AANS Sponsored Awards
NREF Research Fellowship and Young Clinician Investigator Award
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Click here to download "The Official Journal of the ASSFN".
Journal websites
Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface
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