Personalizing brain stimulation for epilepsy
Optimizing Neuromodulation Therapies for Epilepsy: Identifying the Right Patient, Right Place, and Right Time for Stimulation
This project will find ways to personalize responsive brain stimulation so people with drug-resistant epilepsy have better seizure control.
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 ID | NIH-11239022 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have hard-to-treat epilepsy, researchers will use your brain scans and data from responsive neurostimulation (RNS) devices to map the brain networks linked to good responses. They will combine patient-specific white-matter connectivity, structural imaging, and models of how stimulation spreads in the brain to pinpoint the best targets. The team will look at when stimulation is delivered, testing whether delivering pulses during periods of low seizure risk improves long-term outcomes. They will also study natural daily (circadian) rhythms in brain activity to see if those patterns predict who benefits most, with the goal of guiding new closed-loop stimulation approaches.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with medically refractory focal epilepsy who have or are candidates for responsive neurostimulation (RNS) are the most likely participants.
Not a fit: People with seizure types that are generalized, those well-controlled on medication, young children not eligible for RNS, or anyone who cannot undergo required imaging or device follow-up may not benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help more people with medication-resistant epilepsy get faster and more complete seizure control by tailoring stimulation to each person.
How similar studies have performed: Responsive neurostimulation has helped many patients achieve significant seizure reduction, but personalizing target networks and timing of stimulation is a newer approach that remains less tested.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rolston, John D — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Rolston, John D
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.