Treating Seizures, and Discovering Insights

NeuroPace's RNS System for treating seizures is also providing insights that could advance understanding of epilepsy, a scientist with the company explained last week at the Design of Medical Devices Conference in Minneapolis.

The RNS System, approved by FDA in 2013 for reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures in severe cases, is a reversible therapy that does not involve removing any brain tissue. The device is hidden under the scalp and isn't noticeable. It has shown itself able to reduce seizures by 60% over three years, according to NeuroPace.

The RNS System also has an extra, useful feature: Patients are able to wave a wand over where the device is implanted in their heads in order to download information, including the electronic brain signals around an event with the device, with health providers able to view the information remotely.

Insights gleaned through this data include the realization that electrographic "events" are far more common than actual clinical seizures. The data has also captured rhythms to seizure activity.

NeuroPace is not the only neuromodulation and neurostimulation company seeking to collect data for potential research discoveries. For example, Medtronic in recent years has been working to transform Activa into not only a Parkinson's treatment device, but also a brain activity information recorder that could help researchers gain new insights into the disease.

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