An update on brain stimulation for epilepsy.

Overview

Brain stimulation for epilepsy has been explored for decades. Nevertheless, this area has traditionally been associated with small poorly controlled trials, inconsistent results, and a resultant lack of widespread use of these technologies. Due to the success of deep brain stimulation for movement disorders and unprecedented advances in computer technology and bioengineering, brain stimulation recently has again generated great interest in epilepsy care. Several large-scale, randomized, blinded, multicenter trials have been conducted; the most up-to-date findings are summarized in this article. These treatment modalities will likely improve over time. The hope that they provide to patients with refractory epilepsy cannot be underestimated.