Cerebellum stimulation to stop temporal lobe seizures
Official title: Hippobellum: Cerebellar influence on the hippocampus and temporal lobe seizures
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11335713 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using targeted stimulation of the cerebellum to try to stop temporal lobe seizures in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2020 |
| Project end | February 28, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $593,514 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS112518-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11335713 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy who are potential candidates for invasive neuromodulation are the most relevant group.
✕Less likely to help
People whose seizures do not arise from the temporal lobe, children, or those who cannot undergo neurosurgery are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
This project explores how stimulating parts of the cerebellum changes activity in the hippocampus and affects temporal lobe seizures. The team showed in mice that specific electrical stimulation of the cerebellar cortex can strongly reduce seizures and that activating fastigial nucleus projections to the central lateral thalamus can inhibit hippocampal seizures. They will test on-demand electrical stimulation of the cerebellar nuclei (including the fastigial nucleus) and measure how this changes excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region. The work is being done at the University of Minnesota using animal models with the goal of guiding deep brain stimulation approaches for adults with temporal lobe epilepsy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: May lead to new deep brain stimulation treatments that reduce or stop seizures for people with temporal lobe epilepsy.
How similar studies have gone: Prior mouse studies by this group showed robust seizure suppression with cerebellar stimulation, while older human trials of cerebellar stimulation produced mixed results.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krook-Magnuson, Esther — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Krook-Magnuson, Esther
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.