Personalized thalamic stimulation settings to reduce seizures
Patient Specific Parameter Optimization of Thalamic Stimulation for Treatment of Epilepsy
This project uses personalized programming of thalamic deep brain stimulators to reduce seizures in people with hard-to-control epilepsy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167696 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would work with your doctor to test different stimulation settings on your anterior thalamic deep brain stimulator while the device records brain signals. The team will use a computer optimization program (Bayesian optimization) to recommend settings that lower a brain activity marker linked to seizure networks, and your clinician would program those settings into your device. Recordings are taken with Medtronic’s Percept system and streamed for analysis so the recommendations can be refined across clinic visits. The researchers will develop, test, and validate this optimization process in patients to find better, individualized settings more efficiently than standard trial-and-error programming.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with drug-resistant epilepsy who have an anterior nucleus thalamic DBS implant (or are scheduled to receive one) and whose device is compatible with the Medtronic Percept recording system are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without a thalamic DBS implant, those whose seizures are already well controlled, or those ineligible for ANT DBS are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to more effective, personalized DBS settings that reduce seizure frequency and side effects for people with epilepsy.
How similar studies have performed: Anterior nucleus DBS is already approved and typically reduces seizures by about 40%, and Bayesian optimization has shown promise in animal studies and some clinical settings, but this specific patient-specific optimization approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcgovern, Robert a — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Mcgovern, Robert a
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 below.