Epilepsy is not easy to treat. The condition occurs when brain neurons fire or work abnormally causing mixed up messages that are sent to different body parts. These mixed-up messages cause body parts to jerk and move about in disorderly activity that is referred to as a seizure. Patients usually use a combination of medications to get the condition under control but relapses do happen. It is just not possible to monitor the activity of damaged neurons in an epileptic 24/7... or is it?

Preventive Measures For

Seizures?

Researchers at the NeuroPace Center based in Mountain View, California have come up with a small mobile implantable computer called the RNS Stimulator that can actually detect brain activity in epileptic patients. The computer is implanted just underneath the scalp and it acts as a personal EEG machine. The minute it detects abnormal brain patterns leading to a seizure, it automatically zaps the misbehaving neurons and shocks them back into behaving. This type of mobile device is not new as they are currently used in the treatment of Parkinson Disease and another neurological condition called Dystonia. However, unlike these devices, the RNS Stimulator is preventive in nature. It can detect seizures before they start and shut them down at the source before the attack can affect the patient.

Can We Expect It On The Market?

The FDA has approved the machine for patient use but researchers are still trying to work out kinks in the machine. The machine works perfectly but implanting a device in the scalp has resulted in scalp infections. The device also runs on a battery and  replacing the batteries involves a surgery which might not be economically feasible.  The RNS Stimulator also has a whopping price tag of $35,000 and $40,000 that might be unaffordable for the vast majority of patients.

The Bottom Line

Dr. Joseph Neimat, a neurologist at the Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville was quick to point out that epilepsy medications were effective in controlling the condition but they do fail eventually. The RNS Stimulator could prove to be a valuable treatment for patients who had no other treatment option available to control their seizures.