Brain Stimulation News and Research

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Brain stimulation with ultrasound may enhance cognitive function

The ability to diagnose and treat brain dysfunction without surgery, may rely on a new method of noninvasive brain stimulation using pulsed ultrasound developed by a team of scientists led by William "Jamie" Tyler, a neuroscientist at Arizona State University. The approach, published in the journal Neuron on June 9, shows that pulsed ultrasound not only stimulates action potentials in intact motor cortex in mice but it also "elicits motor responses comparable to those only previously achieved with implanted electrodes and related techniques," says Yusuf Tufail, the lead author from ASU's School of Life Sciences.

10 Jun 2010

VA partners with National Institutes of Health to research on Parkinson's disease

Veterans and others with Parkinson's disease who undergo deep brain stimulation may benefit from research co-sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and published recently in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

5 Jun 2010

Medtronic DBS Therapy improves motor function in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease: Study

In the largest, randomized, controlled study of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease, Medtronic DBS Therapy was shown to improve motor function for up to two years in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease, showing equally strong efficacy for the two most common surgical targets used for the therapy.

3 Jun 2010

DBS procedure effective for treating Parkinson's disease

Studies have shown that a "brain pacemaker" called deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease.

3 Jun 2010

Deep-brain stimulation makes difference in the lives of people with Parkinson disease

A surgical treatment that stimulates distressed neural networks through electrodes threaded directly into a person's brain has quietly made a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people with Parkinson disease, essential tremor, and dystonia over the course of the past decade. But while it steadies patients' shaking limbs with surprising effect, its benefits on some patients' minds and personal lives have been more mixed.

31 May 2010

St. Jude Medical's Epiducer lead delivery system for neurostimulation therapy receives CE Mark approval

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced European CE Mark approval of its new Epiducer™ lead delivery system for neurostimulation therapy. Unveiled at the Neurosurgery 2010 Congress in Lyon, France, the Epiducer lead delivery system is the first of its kind, allowing introduction of S-Series perc-paddle leads as well as multiple lead arrays through a single percutaneous entry point.

27 May 2010

Medtronic fiscal year 2010 revenue up 8% to $15.817 billion

Medtronic, Inc. today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended April 30, 2010.

25 May 2010

Ventral striatum plays important role in circuitry of reward-oriented behavior: Researchers

An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older - about one in four adults - suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder every year, which equates to approximately 57.7 million adults. Severe psychiatric illness affects a much smaller number of people - about 6 percent, or 1 in 17. Worldwide, an estimated 340 million people suffer from an episode of major depression every year.

5 May 2010

Tel Aviv University researcher pioneers 3-D occupational therapy for children with disabilities

It was her love of ballet that led her to work with children who have motor disabilities. The retired dancer, now an occupational therapist, is pioneering a new "virtual" method to analyze movement patterns in children ― and more effectively treat those with debilitating motor disorders.

28 Apr 2010

Study supports use of Fisher Wallace Cranial Stimulator for treating depression, anxiety and insomnia

Fisher Wallace Laboratories today announced the results of a brain stimulation study involving the Fisher Wallace Cranial Stimulator, a portable medical device that treats depression, anxiety and insomnia. The study, published in The Neuroscientist and authored by Dr. Felipe Fregni, assistant professor in neurology at Harvard Medical School, analyzes a decade's worth of research on the brain stimulation technology used by the Fisher Wallace Cranial Stimulator.

13 Apr 2010

New devices pave way for applications in cardiology and neurology

A team of cardiologists, materials scientists, and bioengineers have created and tested a new type of implantable device for measuring the heart's electrical output that they say is a vast improvement over current devices. The new device represents the first use of flexible silicon technology for a medical application.

26 Mar 2010

St. Jude Medical's Brio DBS system for treating Parkinson’s disease receives Australian TGA approval

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced regulatory and reimbursement approval from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration of its Brio™ deep brain stimulation system for treating the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

23 Mar 2010

ETP releases presentation highlights of 2010 Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference

The Epilepsy Therapy Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating new therapies for people living with epilepsy, today released presentation highlights following its successful 2010 Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference held in San Francisco. Sponsored by ETP, this conference brings together leading clinical investigators, emerging CNS companies and academic innovators with investors and business development partners to facilitate professional collaboration, funding and partnerships that will accelerate patient access to new treatments.

18 Mar 2010

SANTE study: Deep brain stimulation can reduce seizures

A recent study organized by Stanford University researchers found patients with refractory partial and secondarily generalized seizures had a reduction in seizures after deep brain stimulation. This multi-center clinical trial determined that the benefits of stimulation of the anterior nuclei of thalamus for epilepsy (SANTE) persisted and by 2 years there was a 56% reduction in seizure frequency.

18 Mar 2010

UCL scientists explore decision-making process of human brain

The more difficult the decision we face, the more likely we are not to act, according to new research by UCL scientists that examines the neural pathways involved in 'status quo bias' in the human brain.

16 Mar 2010

FDA Neurological Devices Panel recommends approval of DBS Therapy for epilepsy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Neurological Devices Panel today voted seven to five to recommend approval with conditions of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Therapy for Epilepsy from Medtronic, Inc. as adjunctive treatment for partial-onset seizures in adults with medically refractory epilepsy.

15 Mar 2010

Study shows encouraging results of DBS in psychiatric disorder treatment

Psychosurgery is making a comeback. Recently published case series have shown encouraging results of so-called deep brain stimulation (DBS) in treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder, depressive disorders, and Tourette syndrome.

5 Mar 2010

Parkinson's patients find facial and vocal expression difficult to read; deep brain stimulation seems to make it worse

Scientists are beginning to find out why people with Parkinson's disease often feel socially awkward. Parkinson's patients find it harder to recognize expressions of emotion in other people's faces and voices, report two studies published by the American Psychological Association.

4 Mar 2010

MIT Technology Review recognizes Medtronic for taking leadership in developing DBS Therapy

Medtronic, Inc. today announced that it has been selected as one of Massachusetts Institute of Technology Technology Review's 50 most innovative companies. Known as TR50, the first annual list includes companies that Technology Review believes have demonstrated superiority in inventing technology and in using it both to grow their own business and transform how we live.