[Research] Deep brain stimulation helps improve memory and cognitive skills in epilepsy patients

[suebear]

This documentation discusses how DBS surgery has actually helped improve the patient memory and cognitive skill.

URL to website - http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120212/Deep-brain-stimulation-helps-improve-memory-and-cognitive-skills-in-epilepsy-patients.aspx

 

[Cint]

onder: I was in to see my epileptologist yesterday and since I still have some occasional seizures, she mentioned me trying this device. I said, "No way am I having holes cut in my head again!" The thought of placing another stimulator in my chest and then having holes drilled in the side of my head scares the daylights out of me! And she did say this is invasive surgery! Been there, done that!! Had the VNS, too.
Even if this DBS improves memory, my damaged area is deep in the hippocampus and I don't think that would matter much.

While navigating the new landscape, the subjects sometimes got deep brain stimulation to one of two areas — the hippocampus or an adjacent structure called the entorhinal cortex — and other times got no neurostimulation at all.

The researchers found that when subjects' entorhinal region was stimulated while they navigated through the maze for the first time, they were speedier and more accurate in learning the way to certain destinations than when they explored a similar maze without stimulation. When electrodes delivered stimulation directly to the hippocampus, some subjects improved their performance while others got worse.

So we just changed the setting of my VNS again and talked about changing med(s) next visit.

 

[suebear]

onder: I was in to see my epileptologist yesterday and since I still have some occasional seizures, she mentioned me trying this device. I said, "No way am I having holes cut in my head again!" The thought of placing another stimulator in my chest and then having holes drilled in the side of my head scares the daylights out of me! And she did say this is invasive surgery! Been there, done that!! Had the VNS, too.
Even if this DBS improves memory, my damaged area is deep in the hippocampus and I don't think that would matter much.

So we just changed the setting of my VNS again and talked about changing med(s) next visit.

I had mixed feelings when it came to the DBS but to be quite honest I changed quickly because of the options that came with what it offers in settings. I wore out the VNS settings with my type of seizure flow and the only way to go was up; in my case the best option was to take the trial for using the DBS which I did in 2011.

The benefits in my case outweighed the cons in my case. I went for it and I'm better off as I'm having far less seizures than I was. Heck I've actually passed three months thus far with nothing and I consider that to be pretty good.

Every Epilepsy patient deserves a chance to be seizure free. It is entirely their personal choice to make the decision when asked the question of moving forward with a surgery that can possibly lower their seizures. No one has the right of forcing a decision one way or another but there is nothing wrong with showing statistical information or providing personal experience.

:twocents:

 

[Nakamova]

Thanks for the report suebear. Glad to hear that the DBS has kept you seizure-free for 3 months and counting.

 

[suebear]

Thanks for the report suebear. Glad to hear that the DBS has kept you seizure-free for 3 months and counting.

I have a major update on the DBS.. here we are in May 2015 and it appears the DBS has spoken. What I mean by that we have just discovered that the Deep Brain Stimulator is now making it known that because it has been running at 95% it will now be the ONLY device to control my seizures and no other device will be permitted of doing this.

For the past week I have had the VNS turned off temporarily using the magnet over it and the DBS is running beautifully. I will be meeting with the neurosurgeon to discover the next step we take as of tomorrow because it is looking as though I will no longer be using the VNS and only the DBS at this point in time. :clap:

Will keep you updated on my case.

Suebear