Nerve Stimulation Effective for Severe Epilepsy

A study has demonstrated that stimulation of the vagus nerve may be a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. The study was conducted by researchers at Weill Medical College of Cornell University (New York, NY, USA).

The study involved 13 Lennox-Gastaut patients treated with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), which resulted in a median seizure rate reduction of 52% in the first six months of treatment. Six months later, three patients had more than a 90% reduction in seizures, two patients had more than a 75% reduction, one had more than a 50% reduction, and six had a reduction of at least 25%. The stimulation method used in the study was the NeuroCybernetic Prosthesis (NCP) System, developed by Cyberonics, Inc. (Houston, TX, USA; www.cyberonics.com).

The system includes a pocket-watch-sized generator, to be implanted under the skin in the patient's chest. A lead wire from the device is tunneled up to the neck, and coils at the end of the wire are wrapped around the vagus nerve in the neck. Using a laptop computer and programming wand, the neurologist programs the NCP system to deliver regular mild stimulation to the vagus nerve. The seizures common to Lennox-Gastaut patients are generally resistant to most anti-epileptic drugs, which may contribute to cognitive and behavioral abnormalities, says Cyberonics.

"Unlike the traditional therapies for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, VNS presents no serious harmful side effects, and study results suggest that VNS could be a viable alternative for the thousands of patients who suffer from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome,” said Dr. Syed Hosain, of Weill Cornell Medical College, who presented follow-up results of the study at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society.




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