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Kaufmann E, Peltola J, Colon AJ, Lehtimäki K, Majtanik M, Mai JK, Bóné B, Bentes C, Coenen V, Gil-Nagel A, Goncalves-Ferreira AJ, Ryvlin P, Taylor R, Brionne TC, Gielen F, Song S, Boon P. Long-term evaluation of anterior thalamic deep brain stimulation for epilepsy in the European MORE registry. Epilepsia 2024; 65:2438-2458. [PMID: 38837755 DOI: 10.1111/epi.18003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Short-term outcomes of deep brain stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT-DBS) were reported for people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy (PwE). Because long-term data are still scarce, the Medtronic Registry for Epilepsy (MORE) evaluated clinical routine application of ANT-DBS. METHODS In this multicenter registry, PwE with ANT-DBS were followed up for safety, efficacy, and battery longevity. Follow-up ended after 5 years or upon study closure. Clinical characteristics and stimulation settings were compared between PwE with no benefit, improvers, and responders, that is, PwE with average monthly seizure frequency reduction rates of ≥50%. RESULTS Of 170 eligible PwE, 104, 62, and 49 completed the 3-, 4-, and 5-year follow-up, respectively. Most discontinuations (68%) were due to planned study closure as follow-up beyond 2 years was optional. The 5-year follow-up cohort had a median seizure frequency reduction from 16 per month at baseline to 7.9 per month at 5-year follow-up (p < .001), with most-pronounced effects on focal-to-bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (n = 15, 77% reduction, p = .008). At last follow-up (median 3.5 years), 41% (69/170) of PwE were responders. Unifocal epilepsy (p = .035) and a negative history of epilepsy surgery (p = .002) were associated with larger average monthly seizure frequency reductions. Stimulation settings did not differ between response groups. In 179 implanted PwE, DBS-related adverse events (AEs, n = 225) and serious AEs (n = 75) included deterioration in epilepsy or seizure frequency/severity/type (33; 14 serious), memory/cognitive impairment (29; 3 serious), and depression (13; 4 serious). Five deaths occurred (none were ANT-DBS related). Most AEs (76.3%) manifested within the first 2 years after implantation. Activa PC depletion (n = 37) occurred on average after 45 months. SIGNIFICANCE MORE provides further evidence for the long-term application of ANT-DBS in clinical routine practice. Although clinical benefits increased over time, side effects occurred mainly during the first 2 years. Identified outcome modifiers can help inform PwE selection and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Kaufmann
- Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jukka Peltola
- Department of Neurology, Tampere University and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Albert J Colon
- Academic Center for Epileptology Kempenhaeghe/Maastricht UMC+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kai Lehtimäki
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tampere University Hospital and Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Milan Majtanik
- MRX-Brain GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Informatics, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jürgen K Mai
- MRX-Brain GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Beata Bóné
- Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Carla Bentes
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Centro de Referência para a área de Epilepsia Refratária (Epicare Member), Hospital de Santa Maria- Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Volker Coenen
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Antonio Gil-Nagel
- Epilepsy Program, Neurology Department, Hospital Ruber Internacional, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Philippe Ryvlin
- Département des Neurosciences Cliniques, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rod Taylor
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit & Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, Institute of Health and Well Being, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Thomas C Brionne
- Clinical Department, Medtronic Internal Trading Sàrl, Tolochenaz, Switzerland
| | - Frans Gielen
- Medtronic Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Shannon Song
- Department of Neurology, Medtronic Operational Headquarters, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Paul Boon
- Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital-Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Samanta D, Aungaroon G, Albert GW, Karakas C, Joshi CN, Singh RK, Oluigbo C, Perry MS, Naik S, Reeders PC, Jain P, Abel TJ, Pati S, Shaikhouni A, Haneef Z. Advancing thalamic neuromodulation in epilepsy: Bridging adult data to pediatric care. Epilepsy Res 2024; 205:107407. [PMID: 38996686 DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2024.107407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Thalamic neuromodulation has emerged as a treatment option for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) with widespread and/or undefined epileptogenic networks. While deep brain stimulation (DBS) and responsive neurostimulation (RNS) depth electrodes offer means for electrical stimulation of the thalamus in adult patients with DRE, the application of thalamic neuromodulation in pediatric epilepsy remains limited. To address this gap, the Neuromodulation Expert Collaborative was established within the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (PERC) Epilepsy Surgery Special Interest Group. In this expert review, existing evidence and recommendations for thalamic neuromodulation modalities using DBS and RNS are summarized, with a focus on the anterior (ANT), centromedian(CMN), and pulvinar nuclei of the thalamus. To-date, only DBS of the ANT is FDA approved for treatment of DRE in adult patients based on the results of the pivotal SANTE (Stimulation of the Anterior Nucleus of Thalamus for Epilepsy) study. Evidence for other thalamic neurmodulation indications and targets is less abundant. Despite the lack of evidence, positive responses to thalamic stimulation in adults with DRE have led to its off-label use in pediatric patients. Although caution is warranted due to differences between pediatric and adult epilepsy, the efficacy and safety of pediatric neuromodulation appear comparable to that in adults. Indeed, CMN stimulation is increasingly accepted for generalized and diffuse onset epilepsies, with recent completion of one randomized trial. There is also growing interest in using pulvinar stimulation for temporal plus and posterior quadrant epilepsies with one ongoing clinical trial in Europe. The future of thalamic neuromodulation holds promise for revolutionizing the treatment landscape of childhood epilepsy. Ongoing research, technological advancements, and collaborative efforts are poised to refine and improve thalamic neuromodulation strategies, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for children with DRE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debopam Samanta
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - Gewalin Aungaroon
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Gregory W Albert
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, USA
| | - Cemal Karakas
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Neurology, Norton Children's Hospital, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Charuta N Joshi
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Childrens Medical Center Dallas, UTSW, USA
| | - Rani K Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, Atrium Health-Levine Children's; Wake Forest University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Chima Oluigbo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - M Scott Perry
- Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children's Medical Center, Ft Worth, TX, USA
| | - Sunil Naik
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Puck C Reeders
- Brain Institute, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Puneet Jain
- Epilepsy Program, Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Taylor J Abel
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Sandipan Pati
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, USA
| | - Ammar Shaikhouni
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Zulfi Haneef
- Neurology Care Line, VA Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Deep brain stimulation of the anterior nuclei of the thalamus in focal epilepsy. Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 144:1-7. [PMID: 36193600 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review the therapeutic effects of deep brain stimulation of the anterior nuclei of the thalamus (ANT-DBS) and the predictors of its effectiveness, safety, and adverse effects. METHODS A comprehensive search of the medical literature (PubMed) was conducted to identify relevant articles investigating ANT-DBS therapy for epilepsy. Out of 332 references, 77 focused on focal epilepsies were reviewed. RESULTS The DBS effect is probably due to decreased synchronization of epileptic activity in the cortex. The potential mechanisms from cellular to brain network levels are presented. The ANT might participate actively in the network elaborating focal seizures. The effects of ANT-DBS differed in various studies; ANT-DBS was linked with a 41% seizure frequency reduction at 1 year, 69% at 5 years, and 75% at 7 years. The most frequently reported adverse effects, depression and memory impairment, were considered non-serious in the long-term follow-up view. ANT-DBS also has been used in a few cases to treat status epilepticus. CONCLUSIONS We reviewed the clinical literature and identified several factors that may predict seizure outcome following DBS therapy. More large-scale trials are required since there is a need to explore stimulation settings, apply patient-tailored therapy, and identify the presurgical predictors of patient response. SIGNIFICANCE A critical review of the published literature on ANT-DBS in focal epilepsy is presented. ANT-DBS mechanisms are not fully understood; possible explanations are provided. Biomarkers of ANT-DBS effectiveness may lead to patient-tailored therapy.
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Setzer B, Fultz NE, Gomez DEP, Williams SD, Bonmassar G, Polimeni JR, Lewis LD. A temporal sequence of thalamic activity unfolds at transitions in behavioral arousal state. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5442. [PMID: 36114170 PMCID: PMC9481532 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33010-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Awakening from sleep reflects a profound transformation in neural activity and behavior. The thalamus is a key controller of arousal state, but whether its diverse nuclei exhibit coordinated or distinct activity at transitions in behavioral arousal state is unknown. Using fast fMRI at ultra-high field (7 Tesla), we measured sub-second activity across thalamocortical networks and within nine thalamic nuclei to delineate these dynamics during spontaneous transitions in behavioral arousal state. We discovered a stereotyped sequence of activity across thalamic nuclei and cingulate cortex that preceded behavioral arousal after a period of inactivity, followed by widespread deactivation. These thalamic dynamics were linked to whether participants subsequently fell back into unresponsiveness, with unified thalamic activation reflecting maintenance of behavior. These results provide an outline of the complex interactions across thalamocortical circuits that orchestrate behavioral arousal state transitions, and additionally, demonstrate that fast fMRI can resolve sub-second subcortical dynamics in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly Setzer
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Nina E Fultz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Daniel E P Gomez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Giorgio Bonmassar
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan R Polimeni
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Laura D Lewis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
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Gummadavelli A, Englot DJ, Schwalb JM, Wu C, Gonzalez-Martinez J, Niemat J, Gerrard JL. ASSFN Position Statement on Deep Brain Stimulation for Medication-Refractory Epilepsy. Neurosurgery 2022; 90:636-641. [PMID: 35271523 PMCID: PMC9514731 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000001923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromodulation has taken a foothold in the landscape of surgical treatment for medically refractory epilepsies and offers additional surgical treatment options for patients who are not candidates for resective/ablative surgery. Approximately one third of patients with epilepsy suffer with medication-refractory epilepsy. A persistent underuse of epilepsy surgery exists. Neuromodulation treatments including deep brain stimulation (DBS) expand the surgical options for patients with epilepsy and provide options for patients who are not candidates for resective surgery. DBS of the bilateral anterior nucleus of the thalamus is an Food and Drug Administration-approved, safe, and efficacious treatment option for patients with refractory focal epilepsy. The purpose of this consensus position statement is to summarize evidence, provide recommendations, and identify indications and populations for future investigation in DBS for epilepsy. The recommendations of the American Society of Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgeons are based on several randomized and blinded clinical trials with high-quality data to support the use of DBS to the anterior nucleus of the thalamus for the treatment of refractory focal-onset seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijeet Gummadavelli
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
| | - Dario J. Englot
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA;
| | - Jason M. Schwalb
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA;
| | - Chengyuan Wu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;
| | - Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;
| | - Joseph Niemat
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jason L. Gerrard
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
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Fasano A, Eliashiv D, Herman ST, Lundstrom BN, Polnerow D, Henderson JM, Fisher RS. Experience and consensus on stimulation of the anterior nucleus of thalamus for epilepsy. Epilepsia 2021; 62:2883-2898. [PMID: 34697794 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation of the anterior nuclei of thalamus (ANT-DBS) is effective for reduction of seizures, but little evidence is available to guide practitioners in the practical use of this therapy. In an attempt to fill this gap, a questionnaire with 37 questions was circulated to 578 clinicians who were either engaged in clinical trials of or known users of DBS for epilepsy, with responses from 141, of whom 58.2% were epileptologists and 28.4% neurosurgeons. Multiple regions of the world were represented. The survey found that the best candidates for DBS were considered those with temporal or frontal seizures, refractory to at least two medicines. Motivations for renewing therapy upon battery depletion were reduced convulsive, impaired awareness, and severe seizures and improved quality of life. Targeting of leads mainly was by magnetic resonance imaging, sometimes with intraoperative imaging or microelectrode recording. The majority used transventricular approaches. Stimulation parameters mostly imitated the SANTE study parameters, except for initial stimulation amplitudes in the 2-3-V or -mA range, versus 5 V in the SANTE study. Stimulation intensity was most often increased or reduced, respectively, for lack of efficacy or side effects, but changes in active contacts, cycle time, and pulse duration were also employed. Mood or memory problems or paresthesias were the side effects most responsible for adjustments. Off-label sites stimulated included centromedian thalamus, hippocampus, neocortex, and a few others. Several physicians used DBS in conjunction with vagus nerve stimulation or responsive neurostimulation, although our study did not track efficacy for combined use. Experienced users varied more from published parameters than did inexperienced users. In conclusion, surveys of experts can provide Class IV evidence for the most prevalent practical use of ANT-DBS. We present a flowchart for one protocol combining common practices. Controlled comparisons will be needed to choose the best approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Fasano
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease, Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Center for Advancing Neurotechnological Innovation to Application, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dawn Eliashiv
- Department of Neurology, UCLA Seizure Disorders Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Susan T Herman
- Epilepsy Program, Department of Neurology at Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | | | | | - Jaimie M Henderson
- Department of Neurosurgery and, by courtesy, Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute and Bio-X Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Robert S Fisher
- Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences and, by courtesy, Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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