1. Pilot Safety and Feasibility Study of Non-invasive Limb Proprioceptive Cerebellar Stimulation for Epilepsy
- Author
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Ronald M. Harper, Dieter Hertling, Ashley Curtis, Eberhardt K. Sauerland, and Christopher M. De Giorgio
- Subjects
Cerebellum ,medicine.medical_specialty ,SUDEP ,cerebellum ,proprioception ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Epilepsy ,Physical medicine and rehabilitation ,Medicine ,RC346-429 ,Neurostimulation ,seizures ,Seizure frequency ,Proprioception ,business.industry ,Non invasive ,Brief Research Report ,medicine.disease ,Neuromodulation (medicine) ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Neurology ,Cerebellar stimulation ,neuromodulation ,epilepsy ,Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system ,Neurology (clinical) ,vibration ,business ,neurostimulation - Abstract
Cerebellar stimulation reduces seizures in animals and in humans with drug-resistant epilepsy. In a pilot safety and feasibility study, we applied continuous cutaneous vibratory stimulation (limb proprioceptive cerebellar stimulation) to foot limb proprioceptive receptors to activate cerebellar, pontine, and thalamic structures in drug-resistant epilepsy patients for 8-h nocturnally up to 6-months after a 4-week pre-treatment control baseline. Seizure frequency was evaluated during the baseline control period, and at 6, 12, and 24 weeks after the control recordings. Five-subjects completed at least the first 6-week treatment. At 12-weeks, the median reduction in seizure frequency was −27.8% (mean reduction = −22.3%). Two subjects continued for 24 weeks, with a decline of −44.1 and −45.4%. This pilot study provides support for further clinical studies into the safety and efficacy of limb proprioceptive cerebellar stimulation for epilepsy.
- Published
- 2021