Identifying brain circuits involved in epilepsy using brain lesions and stimulation techniques
Official title: Using Brain Lesions and Deep Brain Stimulation to Identify an Epilepsy Circuit
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11056777 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how brain injuries from things like strokes can cause focal epilepsy and whether a treatment called deep brain stimulation can help, aiming to understand why it works for some people but not others, so we can find better ways to treat epilepsy in the future.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $632,070 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS127892-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11056777 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include patients with focal epilepsy resulting from brain lesions due to stroke, trauma, or tumors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with epilepsy not associated with brain lesions or those who do not have access to deep brain stimulation may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how brain lesions from conditions like stroke or trauma can lead to focal epilepsy and explores the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a treatment. By analyzing the connectivity between lesion locations and DBS sites, the study aims to uncover why some patients respond well to DBS while others do not. The researchers utilize advanced techniques to map brain circuits without needing individual patient data, making the approach broadly applicable. This could lead to new therapeutic targets for improving epilepsy treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance the understanding and treatment of epilepsy, potentially leading to better outcomes for patients with focal epilepsy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has successfully mapped brain circuits related to various brain diseases, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights for epilepsy as well.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fox, Michael D — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Fox, Michael D
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Ventral pallidum brain stimulation for epilepsy
A brain stimulation therapy in people with epilepsy whose seizures aren’t controlled by medicines or surgery is being studied to see if it can help achieve seizure freedom.
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Targeted deep brain stimulation to reduce infantile epilepsy spasms
This project will see if tiny electrical pulses delivered to specific deep brain areas can reduce severe infantile spasms, first in animal models to help design future treatments for babies.
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Finding the brain circuit behind focal epilepsy using lesions and deep brain stimulation
This project uses patterns of brain injury and responses to deep brain stimulation to find the brain circuit that causes and treats focal epilepsy in people with lesions from stroke, trauma, or tumors.
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Personalized deep brain stimulation for epilepsy treatment
This study is looking to help people with epilepsy who don't find relief from regular medications by using a special treatment that targets specific areas of their brain, making it more personalized and effective just for them.
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Scaling Up Task-Shifted Epilepsy Care for Children in Africa
A study to help children with epilepsy in Africa get diagnosed and receive seizure care through trained community health workers.
-
Closed-loop control of interneuron timing to influence seizures and memory in epilepsy
A study tests a brain-quieting system that uses light to precisely time certain brain cells in epilepsy-prone mice to see if this can lessen seizures and improve memory.
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.