“A boy with severe epilepsy has become the first patient in the world to trial a new device fitted in their skull to control seizures. The neurostimulator, which sends electrical signals deep into his brain, has reduced Oran Knowlson’s daytime seizures by 80%,” reports the BBC:
The surgery was carried out in October as part of a trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London when Oran – who is now 13 – was 12. Oran, from Somerset, has Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a treatment-resistant form of epilepsy which he developed at the age of three.
Since then he has suffered several daily seizures ranging from two dozen to hundreds….Oran had a range of different seizures, including those where he fell to the ground, shook violently, and lost consciousness….he would stop breathing and require emergency medication to resuscitate him….Oran is part of the CADET project – a series of trials assessing the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation for severe epilepsy. The partnership involves Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London, King’s College Hospital and the University of Oxford.
The Picostim neurotransmitter is made by UK company Amber Therapeutics…..Epilepsy seizures are triggered by abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain. The device, which emits a constant pulse of current, aims to block or disrupt the abnormal signals….The surgery, which lasted around eight hours, took place in October 2023. The team, led by consultant paediatric neurosurgeon Martin Tisdall, inserted two electrodes deep into Oran’s brain until they reached the thalamus, a key relay station for neuronal information….The ends of the leads were connected to the neurostimulator, a 3.5cm square and 0.6cm thick device which was placed in a gap in Oran’s skull where the bone had been removed.
The neurostimulator was then screwed into the surrounding skull, to anchor it in place.
In other brain-related news, a brain implant helps a stroke survivor communicate in two languages. Researchers have discovered how to freeze and thaw brain tissue without damaging it.
Brain implants are also being used to restore cognitive abilities wiped out by traumatic brain injuries, enabling people to work again, and once again do things they couldn’t do because of their brain injury, such as reading, avoiding getting speeding tickets, and grocery shop.
Skull implants could also fight depression. A child has been cured of a type of brain cancer that previously always killed people who have it.
Scientists have developed tiny robots made of human cells to repair damaged cells. And Arizona State University scientists “have successfully programmed nanorobots to shrink tumors by cutting off their blood supply,” fighting cancer.
Artificial intelligence is now developing highly-effective antibodies to fight disease. Artificial wombs could be coming soon, to prevent premature babies from dying or being permanently disabled due to premature life outside the womb.
