A new therapy for refractory partial epilepsy: current shunt.
A large number of epileptic patients suffer from refractory epilepsy, despite optimal treatment; thus these patients require new therapeutic approaches. Focal seizure activity is typically initiated in a fixed and localized region, which subsequently spreads to neighboring regions or more distant areas. At the initial onset of a seizure, the epileptic discharge will generate a relatively high voltage in seizure focus, and the discharge subsequently spreads to other relatively low-voltage regions. However, it is unknown whether seizure can be controlled through current shunt using a conduction microelectrode to conduct the epileptic discharge with a relatively high voltage in the seizure focus outside the brain. The current therapies for epilepsy, including drugs, resective surgery and neuromodulation, focus on inhibiting abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity to control seizures; thus, the basic mechanism underlying these therapies is "inhibition". In contrast, we proposed a "conduction" mechanism, whereby a current shunt with conduction electrode is used to control seizures. To our knowledge, this therapeutic strategy has not been previously reported, and we propose that this approach might be an alternative choice for the treatment of refractory partial epilepsy in the future.
Laboratory Diagnosis Center, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China; Capital Epilepsy Therapy Center, Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100048, China. Electronic address: zhanglimin525@163.com.
Limin
L
Zhang
Shuli
S
Liang
Guojun
G
Zhang
Xixiong
X
Kang
D004566:Electrodes; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological