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Deep Brain Stimulation on the Horizon for Essential Tremor Patient
May 1, 2012 - A middle-aged man who has had essential tremor for 30 years looks forward to an upcoming deep brain stimulation implant to reduce the impairment. (The Gazette)

Depression Treatment with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is Described
April 30, 2012 - A patient and doctors describe the experience of using transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat depression. (Montgomery Advertiser)

Preliminary Results Show Promise for Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Migraine
April 30, 2012 - A preliminary randomized study of 13 patients, published in the journal Headache, indicates that anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex creates a positive, but delayed, response in migraine, compared to the group that received sham treatment. The treated group received 10 20-minute sessions at 2 mA over four weeks. (Science Daily)

News Feature Describes Successful Treatment of Parkinson's Disease Patients with Deep Brain Stimulation
April 29, 2012 - Two Parkinson's disease patients in Oregon describe benefits of their deep brain stimulation. (Mail Tribune)

Researchers Report Potential Benefits of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Intractable Epilepsy in Children
April 28, 2012 - Researchers from the Netherlands showed in a randomized, active controlled trial of 41 children with intractable epilepsy that vagus nerve stimulation is a safe and well-tolerated adjunctive treatment, offering a possible reduction in seizure severity. (Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology)

Clinical Trial of Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Heart Failure is Set to Start in Liverpool
April 27, 2012 - A patient in Liverpool is scheduled to become the first participant in a multi-center clinical trial examining the effect of vagus nerve stimulation on improving heart function in patients who suffer from congestive heart failure. (BBC)

Regional Medicare Contractor will Cover Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Overactive Bladder
April 26, 2012 - Novitas Solutions, the Medicare administrative contractor for approximately 4.6 million Medicare beneficiaries in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, will cover posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) services provided on or after April 9, 2012, based on a recent comparative effectiveness review entitled "Nonsurgical Treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women," published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ),  Uroplasty, Inc. announced in a press release. The company provides a minimally invasive PTNS treatment system, Urgent PC, for office-based treatment of overactive bladder and the associated symptoms of urgency, frequency and urge incontinence.(MarketWatch)

Greatbatch, Inc. Sees Sales Growth in First Quarter of 2012
April 26, 2012 - Neurostimulation component supplier Greatbatch, Inc. announced first-quarter 2012 results, including completed acquisition of NeuroNexus Technologies, which creates silicon-based electrodes and interconnects. Overall sales increased 7% to a record $159.1 million, although a lower gross profit, due to increased medical device investment and some production costs, was reflected in GAAP results and adjusted operating income. (MarketWatch)

International Neuromodulation Society Announces Public Education Grants
April 26, 2012 - Grants from Boston Scientific, Medtronic and St. Jude Medical will help the International Neuromodulation Society (INS) develop public education materials for patients, primary care physicians, referrers, journalists, legislators, and other decision-makers. The INS announced its latest grant, $25,000 from Boston Scientific, as well as $25,000 from St. Jude Medical and $100,000 from Medtronic. 

Use of Spinal Cord Stimulation to Treat Refractory Angina Reported in South Korea
April 25, 2012 - A medical team from the Department of anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at Chonnam National University Medical School in Gwangju, Korea have published the first report of spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of refractory angina in South Korea. (Korean Journal of Pain)

Journal: Deep Brain Stimulation Can Improve Gastric Emptying in Parkinson's Disease
April 24, 2012 - A team from Chiba University in Japan report on the effectiveness of subthalamic deep brain stimulation on gastrointestinal dysfunction as a non-motor symptom in Parkinson’s disease. (Brain: A Journal of Neurology)

Sacral Nerve Stimulation in Chronic Pelvic Pain Cases Presented
April 23, 2012 - International Neuromodulation Society President-Elect Timothy Deer, MD, and colleagues report a case series of five patients with chronic pelvic pain in whom sacral nerve stimulation was effective in managing symptoms. (Pain Practice)

Analyst Discusses Funding for Obesity Trial
April 20, 2012 - EnteroMedics' recent round of financing should allow it to complete its Recharge trial that examines its vagus nerve stimulation device in control and treatment groups, and probably also continue to a product launch, comments an analyst who follows the company. (MedCity News)

Small Business Receives Grants for Motor Symptom Monitoring and High School Curriculum
April 20, 2012 - Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies, which was spun out of Cleveland Medical Devices, has received a grant of about $3 million from the National Institute on Aging to enhance its technology that monitors Parkinson's disease symptoms at home, Kinesia HomeView. The platform uses a ring-like sensor worn on a finger to measure motor symptoms and transmit data about tremor. With the new funding, the platform will be enhanced to evaluate gait and balance. The company received an additional grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for a wireless physiological monitor and Web-based curriculum to teach neuroscience to high school students. (MedCity News)

Professors Collaborate to Explore Potential Deep Brain Stimulation Feedback and Tuning Instrumentation
April 18, 2012 - Professors at Duke University are working on instrumentation to accurately measure evoked compound action potentials to enhancing tuning of deep brain stimulation and reduce the trial-and-error of programming sessions. (Journal of Neural Engineering)

Researchers Reveal Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Migraine
April 19, 2012 - Researchers from the University of Michigan, Harvard University and the City College of the City University of New York used transcranial direct current stimulation as a preventative migraine therapy on 13 patients with chronic migraine. After 10 sessions, participants reported an average 37 percent decrease in pain intensity. The study, which appears in the journal Headache, showed high current reached structures deep in the brain, and also suggests that repetitive sessions are necessary to revert ingrained changes.(University of Michigan)

Study Finds Cancer-Related Pain is Undertreated
April 19, 2012 - Researchers at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center found a third of cancer patients and survivors have inadequately treated pain. (Houston Chronicle)

Canada to Develop Guidelines for Treatment of Angina Pain
April 19, 2012 - About 500,000 Canadians live with unresolved angina and joint guidelines are being developed to combine cardiology and chronic pain perspectives in the treatment of angina pain, including use of spinal cord stimulation for refractory angina. (Medical Xpress)

Sensor Has Potential to Measure Magnetic Fields of Cognitive Function
April 19, 2012 - The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and German scientists have verified the potential of a mini-sensor developed by NIST that may be useful in magnetoencephalography (MEG), a noninvasive procedure that measures the magnetic fields produced by electrical activity in the brain. MEG is used for basic research on perceptual and cognitive processes in healthy subjects as well as screening of visual perception in newborns and mapping brain activity prior to surgery to remove tumors or treat epilepsy. MEG also might be useful in brain-computer interfaces. (R&D Magazine)

Company Plans to Market a Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator for Neuropathic Pain
April 18, 2012 - Massachussetts-based NeuroMetrix, Inc. has filed premarket notification with the FDA for its non-invasive transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator, Sensus, intended to relieve and manage symptoms of chronic intractable pain, such as painful diabetic neuropathy. (MarketWatch)

Functional Electrical Stimulation Using Brain-Computer Interface Reported in Nature
April 18, 2012 - In a report in the journal Nature [http://bit.ly/IX0gJd], a research team reports the demonstration of a brain-computer interface that records activity of motor neurons, predicts activity of muscles used in grasping, and allows the research subjects, two monkeys whose arms were temporarily paralyzed by a nerve block,to voluntarily grasp and release a ball. The researchers at Northwestern University write that the approach differs from most other functional electrical stimulation strategies, that rely on residual muscle control to trigger one or two basic grasps. (Health Canal)

St. Jude Medical Neuromodulation Sales Grow by 12 Percent
April 18, 2012 - In the first quarter of 2012, sales of neuromodulation products at St. Jude Medical, Inc. were $103 million, up 12 percent from the comparable quarter of 2011. (Seeking Alpha)

EnteroMedics Announces Additional Financing
April 17, 2012 - EnteroMedics, Inc., the Minnesota-based the developer of medical devices using neuroblocking technology to treat obesity, metabolic diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders, announced it has amended its existing debt agreement with Silicon Valley Bank to obtain an immediate $10 million loan. The agreement includes a provision for an additional $10 million loan on completion of primary endpoints in its ReCharge study and other financial objectives for 2012. In addition, the company plans a registered direct equity offering valued at $5 million. The financing will retire an existing $4.7 million debt and support work toward regulatory approval of the Maestro Rechargeable System in the United States, international commercialization efforts, and other development and operating expenses. (Marketwire)

Movement Disorder Surgical Specialists Present TEDx Talk on Deep Brain Stimulation
April 16, 2012 - Founders of the University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, Dr. Michael S. Okun and Dr. Kelly D. Foote, gave a recent TEDx talk on deep brain stimulation. (National Parkinson Foundation)

Italian Team Reports on Replacement of Vagus Nerve Stimulator in Epileptic Patient 10 Years After Initial Implant
April 13, 2012 - A team of neurologists and neurosurgeons from Bologna, Italy, report the complete removal and replacement of a vagus nerve stimulator in an epileptic patient, 10 years after the initial implant. The electrodes wrapping the vagus nerve were removed with the aid of an operating microscope. Once scaring and fibrotic tissue were peeled away, the nerve showed no gross changes and the replacement stimulator worked as well as in a first implantation. (Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology)

Tripolar Spinal Cord Stimulation Shows Efficacy in Case of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
April 11, 2012 - International Neuromodulation Society member Dr. Maunak Rana and Dr. Nebojsa Nick Knezevic report the use of tripolar spinal cord stimulation (SCS) relieved abdominal and thoracic spine pain, regulated bowel habits, and improved quality of life in a case in which all conservative treatments had failed for a patient with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). (Neuromodulation)

Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Stroke Rehabilitation to Begin in Malaysia
April 17, 2012 - A Harvard-trained medical rehabilitation physician is starting a trial of transcranial direct current stimulation in stroke rehabilitation in Malaysia, where she now practices. (New Straits Times)

Brain Simulation Effort Reportedly Short-listed for a £1billion European Union grant
April 17, 2012 - An international effort to simulate the complexity of a human brain down to the level of individual cells and molecules has been short-listed for a £1billion grant from the European Union. Led by Professor Henry Markram, Head of the neural microcircuitry laboratory at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne based in Switzerland, the simulation is intended to provide new insights into neurological diseases such as autism, depression, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's, new ways of testing drugs and understanding the way they work, and to allow the scientists to design prosthetic devices to help people with disabilities. (International Business Times)

Vanderbilt Will Be Among Centers for Clinical Trial of Deep Brain Stimulation in Unipolar Major Depressive Disorder
April 16, 2012 - International Neuromodulation Society member Joseph Neimet, MD, is co-investigator at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for that center's participation in the BROdmann Area 25 DEep brain Neuromodulation study, BROADEN. Sponsored by St. Jude Medical, Inc., the study will take place at approximately 20 U.S. centers. It is the first randomized clinical research study to investigate DBS as an intervention for patients diagnosed with unipolar major depressive disorder (excluding bipolar disorder) who have not improved after multiple treatments. (Newswise)

Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Overactive Bladder Favorably Reviewed by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
April 16, 2012 - Uroplasty, Inc. announced that the United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality issued a report entitled "Nonsurgical Treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: Diagnosis and Comparative Effectiveness" that includes favorable statements on the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation for overactive bladder. Uroplasty's Urgent PC Neuromodulation System is currently the only FDA-cleared product in the U.S. that delivers PTNS. (Market Watch)

Brain & Behavior Research Foundation to Sponsor Sydney-Based Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Bipolar Disorder
April 16, 2012 - The University of New South Wales and the Black Dog Institute expect to begin recruiting participants next month for a study of  transcranial direct current stimulation in bipolar disorder, sponsored by the U.S.-based Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. (Asian Scientist)

Asthma Reported to Respond to Percutaneous Application of Low-Voltage Stimulation
April 16, 2012 - Low-voltage vagus nerve stimulation applied through the skin may be effective to reduce severity of asthma attacks, according to a news feature in the U.K. Daily Mail, citing a report in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine.. (Daily Mail)

Newspaper Features a Women's Deep Brain Stimulation Treatment for Essential Tremor
April 16, 2012 - The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette features a woman who received deep brain stimulation surgery three years ago for essential tremor. Her neurosurgeon comments, "There's less than one-half of 1 percent chance of very serious morbidity or problems, and more than 90 percent of the time we can get good to excellent control of the symptoms [for essential tremor], which is better than medications." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Participant in Deep Brain Stimulation Clinical Trial for Depression is Featured in CNN Report
April 13, 2012 - A seven-minute segment by CNN features a patient who participated in a clinical trial of deep brain stimulation for medically refractory depression, based out of Emory University. (CNN via YouTube)

West Virginia Hospital Will Enroll First Patients in Study of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Nerve Pain
April 12, 2012 - The Center for Pain Relief at St. Francis Hospital in West Virgina will be the first site to enroll patients in a study that will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a system to directly stimulate the peripheral nerve to relieve chronic neuropathic pain of peripheral origin, the Bioness StimRouter neuromodulation system. At the hospital's Center for Pain Relief, Dr. Tim Deer, president-elect of the International Neuromodulation Society, is the study's medical monitor and principal investigator. The study was also described in the American News Report. http://bit.ly/IO2TbN (State Journal)

Presentations Reported About Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
April 12, 2012 - An online publication recapitulates presentations made at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society annual meeting this week in Chicago on transcranial direct current stimulation, and reports of its effects in memory, language and numeracy skills. (Digital Journal)

Journal Article Assesses Potential Promise of Invasive, Noninvasive Neuromodulation for Tinnitus
April 11, 2012 - International Neuromodulation Society members Drs. Sven Vanneste and Dirk De Ridder reviewed noninvasive neuromodulation techniques including transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and cortical neurofeedback, as well as invasive neuromodulation techniques including auditory cortex stimulation, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation, subcutaneous occipital nerve stimulation, and deep brain stimulation, as potential treatments of tinnitus. (Neuromodulation)

Infrared Laser Light Eyed for Future Cochlear Implant Stimulation
April 11, 2012 - Laser light may be the new stimulus in cochlear implants designed to provide sound signals to the auditory nerve. Rather than using an electrical signal, light offers more targeted stimulation of inner-ear hair cells and range of sound frequencies, Popular Science reports. In vitro lab research on amphibian eggs at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University indicates that infrared laser light heats water in the cell and depolarizes its membrane, opening a channel for sodium and calcium ions — creating a normal action potential to transmit signals. (Popular Science)

Deep Brain Stimulation Device Maker Closes Financing Round
April 10, 2012 - Aleva Neurotherapeutics, a company developing next-generation implants for deep brain stimulation, announced the closing of a Series B financing round totaling 4.0 million in Swiss francs. (Open PR.com)

Spinal Cord Stimulation Therapy Approaches Compared for Patients with Refractory Angina
April 11, 2012 - In a study of 68 patients who participated in a clinical study comparing high stimulation (HS, a minimum of two hours four times daily) and low stimulation (LS, stimulation above the paresthesia threshold for one minute per day) the results obtained at six months suggest that SCS (HS) is not more effective than the control (LS) in patients with refractory angina. The study's nine authors included International Neuromodulation Society members Drs. Richard Boortz-Marx, Edgar Ross, and Michael Turner. (Neuromodulation)

First Patient in the United Kingdom to Use Gait Restoration Implant Announced
April 10 - The first patient from the United Kingdom to use a functional electrical stimulation system to restore gait was announced in a press release from Ottobock. The Duderstadt-based company's ActiGait device uses an implantable electrode to trigger flexion of the foot. (PR Newswire)

Dementia Journal Publishes Review of Cognitive Function Observations Following Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalmic Nucleus
April 9, 2012 - In an online publication ahead of print, a pair of researchers from Portugal review published observations that certain aspects of cognitive performance may decline after deep brain stimulation of the subthalmic nucleus for Parkinson's disease, and raise clinical implications for patients, their families and health care professionals. (Frontiers in Dementia)

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Study Announced for Chronic Peripheral Nerve Pain
April 9, 2012 - Bioness Inc. announced a randomized, double-blinded, partial crossover study of 126 patients at 10 U.S. centers to evaluate the use of direct peripheral nerve stimulation in chronic peripheral nerve pain, using an implanted lead and external pulse transmitter. International Neuromodulation Society President-Elect Tim Deer, MD, will be the medical monitor of the 30-month study.(PR Newswire)

Article Recounts Investigation of Deep Brain Stimulation in Refractory Depression
April 6, 2012 - Psychiatry Online presents an overview of early stage research into deep brain stimulation in bipolar patients, quoting the study author, Dr. Helen Mayberg of Emory University, as saying that the technique has also been performed in 66 patients who have treatment-resistant depression, including six in Spain. DBS received a humanitarian device exception from the FDA in 2009 for use in obsessive-compulsive disorder, the article notes. (PsychiatryOnline)

Nagoya Central Hospital Case Series Shows Spinal Cord Stimulation Reduces Some Central Post-Stroke Pain
April 2012 - International Neuromodulation Society member Yasukazu Kajita, MD and colleagues report in the Japanese-language journal No Shinkei Geka a retrospective evaluation of the use of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) to control central post-stroke pain (CPSP). Of eight patients treated with SCS using two quad leads, six (75%) experienced greater than 50% pain reduction during test stimulation, and in five of the six patients, the efficacy continued for about 12 months. The authors conclude that SCS may offer benefit in some cases of CPSP. (PubMed)

First Commercially Available Vagal Blocking Systems for Obesity Shipped to Australia
April 5, 2012 - EnteroMedics announced it has shipped its first commercially available MaestroRechargeable System for vagus nerve blocking therapy, VBLOC, designed to control both hunger and the feeling of fullness, to Australia. The company also said it has signed a multiyear distribution agreement to sell the system to countries in the Persian Gulf. (MedCity News)

Johns Hopkins Refining On-Demand Stimulation for Control of Epileptic Seizures
April 5, 2012 - Johns Hopkins announced a research team there has been fine-tuning algorithms that help detect when neurostimulation should be applied to prevent onset of epileptic seizures. So far, the university reported, the results have led to 80 percent fewer false alarms. (MedGadget)

Evidence Reported for Sustained Efficacy of Deep Brain Stimulation in Treatment-Resistant Depression
April 4, 2012 - A study at the University Hospital in Bonn, Germany of 11 patients with treatment-resistant depression showed evidence for sustained efficacy of deep brain stimulation to the nucleus accumbens, according to a published research report in Neuropsychopharmacology. Five of 11 patients responded after 12 months and remained sustained responders until the final four-year follow-up. (Neuropsychopharmacology)

Tissue-Securing System Now Permitted for Intrathecal Catheter Applications, Company Says
April 4, 2012 - Anulex Technologies announced it has received FDA approval to expand indications for its fiXate™ Tissue Band. The product was previously approved for securing Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) lead anchors to fascia or interspinous/supraspinous ligaments in patients with chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs. The new indication allows for securing intrathecal pain pump catheters in the same tissue. (Enhanced Online News)

Deep Brain Stimulation Patient to be Profiled on National Television Regarding Clinical Trial of DBS in Medically Resistant Depression
April 4, 2012 - A woman who participated in a deep brain stimulation study for depression at Emory University will be profiled April 15 at 8 p.m. on CNN Presents, according to a published newspaper report. The show will also replay April 21. (NeighborNewspapers.com)

Company Reports that Diabetes, Hypertension, and Weight Loss Improve with Vagal Nerve Block
April 3, 2012 -  Data from a 2.5-year vagal blocking study of 28 diabetic subjects with obesity show statistically significant improvement, including a 22% weight reduction in 19 patients who checked in at 30 months, EndoMetrics announced in a statement. A portion of the data on diabetes, hypertension and weight loss from the company's Enable study will be presented at the 24th Annual Scientific Conference of the Obesity and Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand April 11-13, 2012, in Darwin Australia. (EndoMetrics)

Cognitive Neuroscientists Discuss Neuromodulation Applications in Stroke Rehabilitation
April 2, 2012 - Papers presented at a meeting of cognitive neuroscientists in Chicago yesterday address shortening rehabilitation time for stroke patients through non-invasive brain stimulation, among other topics, Medical Express reports. (Medical Express)
 
Early-stage Medical Device Company Announces New Vice President for Neurology
April 2, 2012 - NeuroSigma, an early-stage medical device company exploring new systems of trigeminal nerve stimulation for neurological disorders, has appointed its recent senior medical advisor, Christopher M. DeGiorgio, MD, to the new post of vice president, neurology. A professor of neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles, he was first to study TNS in patients with epilepsy, and collaborated with in developing TNS as a potential treatment for depression, PTSD and ADHD, the company said. (PR Newswire)

New England Region's Success in Gaining Reimbursement for Depression Treatment Recounted
March 30, 2012 - A Providence, R.I., newspaper article recounts three years of advocacy for reimbursement since the FDA approved repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for treatment of major depressive disorder in adult patients for whom traditional therapies have failed. In March, New England became the first region in the nation to put into effect a positive Medicare decision for covering this treatment. (PBN.com)

Chronic Pain Advocate and Post-Amputation Spinal Cord Stimulation User Dies of Cancer
March 30, 2012 - Chronic pain advocate Mike Roman died of cancer March 28 at age 45. He became a one-legged racecar driver following a leg amputation, and managed his residual phantom limb pain with spinal cord stimulation. See additional coverage on Stltoday.com. (American News Report)

Paper Reports Brain-Boost from Transcranial Direct Stimulation
March 30, 2012 - Transcranial direct stimulation for 10 minutes helped 40% of healthy volunteers solve a difficult brainteaser, the nine dots problem, according to a published report from the University of Sydney in Neuroscience Letters. (Sciencealert)

Reporter Describes Experiencing Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
March 30, 2012 - The New Scientist Magazine's Sally Adee recounts her first-hand experience trying transcranial direct current stimulation as part of newsgathering for an article, saying the noninvasive stimulation quieted her mind to focus on the task at hand. (The Week)

Investment Analyst Reportedly Reveals a Halt in European Marketing of Deep Brain Stimulation Device
March 29, 2012 - Leerink Swann analyst Rick Wise was reported to have written in a note to investors that St. Jude Medical had temporarily pulled its Brio deep brain stimulation Parkinson's disease treatment off the market due to a fixable issue of body fluids seeping in and interrupting therapy in 11 of 400 devices implanted so far, according to Mass Device. European customers were being advised to opt for the Libra DBS system during the next 60-90 days, according to the published news report. The Brio system received CE Mark approval in Europe in 2009 and Australian approval in 2010. (MassDevice)

Position-Sensing Spinal Cord Implant Story Runs as a Front-Page Feature
March 28, 2012 - A California newspaper ran a front-page story detailing how a back pain patient was able to find relief after many years by receiving a spinal cord stimulation implant that includes position sensors. International Neuromodulation Society member Lee Snook, MD, performed the procedure and was described as one of about 100 physicians in the country who have implanted the new system. (Marysville-Yuba City Appeal Democrat)

Multicenter Study Shows Successful Outcome of Status Epilepticus after Vagus Nerve Stimulation
March 26, 2012 - A retrospective observational study of eight patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who had, prior to vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implantation,  repeated episodes of status epilepticus (SE) (a life-treatening period of persistent seizure requiring emergency care) showed VNS was safe and effective in reducing seizure frequency and episodes of SE. (European Journal of Neurology)

Insurance Coverage Issue for Head Pain Neurostimulation Therapy Forms Focus of New Orleans Television Report
March 27, 2012 -- A New Orleans television station reports on a woman's hope to win an insurance appeal to receive neurostimulation therapy for her intractable, life-long head pain following a successful trial phase. Her physician, Dr. Erich Richter -- a member of the International Neuromodulation Society -- points out in an interview the long history of peripheral nerve stimulation to treat nerves involved in specific pain syndromes. (WWLTV.com)

With an Approved Neurostimulation System for Overactive Bladder, is Small Company a Valuable Investment?
March 23, 2012 - Minnesota-based Uroplasty has had FDA clearance since 2005 for its system to treat urge incontinence, Urgent PC, which uses percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation. An investment column explores the market being pursued by this small company, and its stock's investment value. (Seeking Alpha)

Sacral Nerve Stimulation Presented as a Minimally Invasive Option for Drug-Resistant Incontinence
March 20, 2012 - International Neuromodulation Society member Angelo Lavano, MD, head of the Neurosurgical Department at the University Magna Graecia in Catanzaro, Italy, and colleagues write in an abstract for the 1st International Congress on Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery that a study of 23 patients who had urinary and/or fecal incontinence indicates sacral nerve stimulation provides long-term benefits for patients with drug-resistant sphinteric troubles, and use of "tined leads" allows wide application with high success rate. (1st International Congress on Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery)

Study Evaluates Best Target for Deep Brain Stimulation in Essential Tremor
March 23, 2012 - A retrospective study of 36 patients shows the best effect on essential tremor symptoms from a deep brain stimulation target in the posterior subthalamic area (PSA), according to a study based at the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Neurosurgery, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden, by Ulrika Sandvik, MD, PhD and coauthors. (Neurosurgery Report)

Mentioning Optogenetics, Microsoft Co-Founder Donates $300 Million to Brain Science
March 22, 2012 - The Allen Institute for Brain Science will more than double in the next four years, with a $300 million commitment, announced by its founder Paul Allen, a Microsoft co-founder. In a press conference, the institute's chief scientist Christof Koch described an effort to map the mammalian visual cortex and carry out preclinical experiments using optogenetics, which he described as "deep-brain stimulation on steroids". (Xconomy)

First Epilepsy Patient Reported in India to Receive Treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation
March 21, 2012 - Following a conversation at a medical conference with International Neuromodulation Society member Ashwini Sharan, MD, neurosurgeon Alok Gupta, MD, has performed what is being classified as the first deep brain stimulation operation in India to treat epilepsy in a young woman whose seizures resulted from discharges in areas throughout her brain. Post-surgery, her seizures have not recurred in the past six weeks. (Deccan Herald)

UCLA Professor Honored for Contributions to Deep Brain Stimulation Neurosurgery
March 21, 2012 - International Neuromodulation Society member Antonio De Sales, MD, PhD, has received recognition for his contributions to deep brain stimulation surgery and development of frameless stereotactic radiosurgery. Professor of Neurosurgery and Head of the Stereotactic Surgery Division of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of California, Los Angeles, he is a 2012 recipient of the Pioneer in Medicine Award from the Society of Brain Mapping and Therapeutics. (PR Newswire)

Student Writes Engineering Master's Thesis on Robotic Surgical Assistance to Implant Deep Brain Stimulation Leads
March 20, 2012 - California Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo has published a mechanical engineering master's thesis by Matthew Joseph Phillips that describes software controls for a surgical robotic assistant that would generate curved lead implant orientations to concentrate stimulation and increase battery life, with digital control supported by computation and finite element analysis. (Digital Commons, Cal Poly)

Small Randomized, Double-Blind Study Shows Sacral Nerve Stimulation Effectiveness in Patients with Chronic Constipation
March 20, 2012 - Of 13 patients who completed a clinical trial using sacral nerve stimulation for chronic constipation from evacuatory dysfunction and rectal hyposensitivity, most responded to sacral nerve stimulation and nine successfully went on to use the therapy long-term, according to research published by a team that includes International Neuromodulation Society member Charles Knowles of the Academic Surgical Unit, Centre for Digestive Disease, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London. (Annals of Surgery)

Technology, Including Neurostimulation, Lets Paralysis Patients Take Steps Again
March 19, 2012 - The Saturday Evening Post features patient success stories involving walking after paralysis by using an exoskeleton, or an early stage spinal cord stimulation system. The article also summarizes research into brain-machine interface development. (Saturday Evening Post)

Small Study of Electroshock Therapy Suggests Depressed Patients Have Trouble With External Stimuli Due to Brains on Overdrive
March 19, 2012 - Shock therapy may work by limiting the amount of internal cross-talk between parts of the brain that could make it difficult for depressed individuals to take in and process external information, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study of nine severely depressed patients showed, through functional MRI scans, that electroshock therapy dampens connections between a part of the brain involved in thought and social behavior, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.  (HealthDay via Philadelphia Inquirer)

High School Senior Sweeps Up Awards for Optogenetics Lab Work
March 18, 2012 - The Westport News features high school senior John Solder, who became excited about optogenetics when reading a Nature article in 10th grade and spent the past year working in Yale research labs on preclinical optogenetics testing. Solder's work has won a number of youth science competitions. (Westport News)

Family Practice News Covers Talk on Opioid Use and Patient Safety
March 16, 2012 - Dr. Sean Mackey, chief of the pain management division at Stanford University and a member of the International Neuromodulation Society, said in a psychopharmacology presentation for the Nevada Psychiatric Association that the Stanford Systems Neuroscience and Pain Lab takes a team approach to educating patients about safety to set expectations and control opioid use. He added that treatments include everything from trigger-point injections to spinal cord stimulation. (Family Practice News)

How Mature is the Market for Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation?
March 16, 2012 - A NeuroTech Zone blog looks at one company's intent to provide $99 mail-order devices for the non-invasive cortical stimulation approach transcranial direct-current stimulation. (NeuroTech Zone)

Medtronic Receives Health Canada Approval for Deep Brain Stimulation to Treat Refractory Epilepsy
March 15, 2012 - Medtronic, Inc. has received a Health Canada license for its deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for treatment-resistant epilepsy. The approval was based on Medtronic's clinical trial at 17 U.S. centers of 110 patients with medically refractory epilepsy with partial-onset seizures. The prospective, randomized, double-blind study, SANTE (Stimulation of the Anterior Nucleus of the Thalamus in Epilepsy) examined the delivery of controlled electrical pulses to an area of the brain involved in seizures. Medtronic's DBS therapy for refractory epilepsy is also approved in Europe.  (Medtronic)

Medicare May Deny Most Coverage for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
March 14, 2012 - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a proposed decision memo advising that reimbursements for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) should be available only for patients participating in randomized trials. In 2010 a research review by a panel of the American Academy of Neurology concluded the treatment was not proven effective for treating chronic low-back pain. Medicare currently covers FDA-approved TENS equipment and supplies when prescribed for chronic intractable pain, and provides reimbursement for physicians and physical therapists to assess patients' suitability for the treatment, which is typically done at home. (MedPage Today)

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Therapy Using Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Receives European Approval
March 14, 2012 - ImThera Medical Inc. has received European CE Mark approval to market its aura6000 (™) system for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. The system uses a patented method of hypoglossal nerve stimulation. (MarketWatch)

Medtronic Announces First Patient Registered in Prospective European Trial of Deep Brain Stimulation for Refractory Epilepsy
March 14, 2012 - Following approval of deep brain stimulation for refractory epilepsy in Europe in 2010, Medtronic, Inc. is undertaking a prospective study of the impact of stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus on seizure frequency, type and severity, safety, and impact of the therapy on a patient's quality of life. The first patient, from the Netherlands, has enrolled in the MORE (MedtrOnic Registry for Epilepsy) Registry. The study will involve about 200 prospective patients over two years at more than 30 centers in Europe. (medicalphysicsweb)

Overactive Bladder Treatment Using Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation Deemed Promising
March 13, 2012 - A research team from Duke University reviewed the literature on posterior tibial nerve stimulation for the treatment of overactive bladder in women and concluded that the technique shows promise but additional high-quality data are needed. (The International Urogynecology Journal)

New Observations Aid Detailed Understanding of Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Effects in Parkinson's
March 12, 2012 - Although recent work has shown that deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease speeds up eye movement in response to visual cues, a study examining that factor before and after surgery, plus before and after stimulation is turned on, shows the response slows just after surgery, and speeds up after stimulation. The result was unexpected and does not track the general motor improvement that is seen after surgery and increases with stimulation. (PLoS ONE)

Review: A Potential Role for Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Traumatic Brain Injury?
March 10, 2012 - A review of four papers from one research group exploring vagus nerve stimulation benefits in a rat model of traumatic brain injury elaborates on potential mechanisms of the benefit and suggests there may be a potential role for the treatment in human traumatic brain injury. (British Journal of Neurosurgery)

Preclinical Studies of Spinal Cord Stimulation in Neuropathic Pain Reviewed
March 8, 2012 - Yun Guan, MD, PhD of the Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, presents an overview of recent preclinical studies of spinal cord stimulation in neuropathic pain that may suggest future directions for development of clinical advances. (Current Pain and Headache Reports)

Axxia Pharmaceuticals Pursues Opiate Implant for Cancer Pain
March 13, 2012 - An implant the size of a button that will deliver the opiate hydromorphone for 30 - 90 days is under development by Axxia Pharmaceuticals. The subcutaneous implant is designed to provide steady dosing in a way that will ensure patient compliance and deter opiate abuse. (MedCity)

Functional Neuromodulation Ltd. Receives Funding for Trial of Deep Brain Stimulation in Alzheimer's
March 13, 2012 - Venture investment firm Foundation Medical Partners provided $3 million in follow-on funding to Toronto-based Functional Neuromodulation, which will support a Phase II clinical trial of deep brain stimulation in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease. The company has now raised a total of $13.4 million from Genesys Capital, Foundation Medical Partners and Medtronic, Inc. (TechFinance.ca)

Depression Treatment with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
March 9, 2012 - A study of 64 patients with treatment-resistant depression, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, showed a greater improvement of mood after active treatment with transcranial direct current stimulation compared to sham treatment. Attention and working memory also improved. (American News Report)

Brain Metabolic Activity May Predict Response to Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Treatment-Resistant Depression
March 5, 2012 - It may be possible to predict the response to vagus nerve stimulation for patients with treatment-resistant major depression by measuring glucose metabolism in regions of the cortex using PET scans, according to a study of 15 patients by collaborators at Washington University and St. Louis University. (Journal of Affective Disorders)

Ontario Brain Institute Announces Coalition on Epilepsy Research
March 7, 2012 - In a new Epilepsy Discovery Project, 26 researchers from McMaster University, the University of Western Ontario and the University of Ottawa will collaborate with doctors, the private sector and non-profit organizations. They will investigate the effectiveness of gene-related treatments and drugs, as well as the potential benefits of deep brain stimulation, surgery and medical diets. (Epilepsy Research UK)

Spinal Cord Stimulation May Help Prevent Stroke after Aneurysm Surgery
March 7, 2012 - Spinal cord stimulation may help prevent stroke following surgery for a ruptured aneurysm, according to a prospective study by Dr. Konstantin Slavin, a director-at-large of the International Neuromodulation Society. None of the 12 study subjects who received spinal cord stimulation for two weeks following surgery for a ruptured aneurysm had a stroke within the next year. Generally up to 50 percent of patients experience stroke after a ruptured aneurysm. (Chicago Tribune)

Test May be Useful Indicator of Improved Cognitive Function During Vagus Nerve Stimulation
March 2, 2012 - In a pilot study of seven adults treated with vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy, a selective but significant improvement in discriminating sensory information was seen by using an assessment known as the Critical Flicker Fusion test. (Journal of Neurotherapy: Investigations in Neuromodulation, Neurofeedback and Applied Neuroscience)

Two-year Update Shows Alzheimer's Patient Still Doing Well with Deep Brain Stimulation
March 7, 2012 - CTV features patient Robert Linton, the 66-year-old Alzheimer's patient whose symptoms improved after a deep brain stimulation implant two years ago. (Five other patients had symptoms either remain the same or worsen.) (CTV)

U.S. Consumer Group Urges Tight Controls on Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulators
March 6, 2012 - The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen is petitioning the FDA to adhere to an agency panel recommendation to require pre-market approvals for cranial electrotherapy stimulation devices, citing the lack of sufficient evidence from well-designed clinical trials demonstrating their efficacy for depression, anxiety, or insomnia. (MassDevice)

Surgical Device by U.S.-Based Checkpoint Receives European Regulatory Approval
March 6, 2012 - A hand-held device that helps doctors locate motor nerves during operations, the Checkpoint Stimulator/Locator, has received CE Mark regulatory clearance for marketing in Europe. (MedCity)

Researchers Use TMS to Track Mirror Neuron Response in Autism Spectrum Disorder
March 6, 2012 - Researchers using transcranial magnetic stimulation found that in research subjects with autism, the response of the motor cortex was blunted when the subjects watched someone make a transitive hand gesture; that is, a gesture whose goal can be interpreted visually. The results suggest that impairment of the mirror neuron system, which allows people to understand the intentions and experiences of other people, contributes to social deficits. (PsychCentral)

Pain Management Discussed in Houston Chronicle News Feature
March 4, 2012 - A multi-modal approach to pain management, which includes neurostimulation, is described in an article about minimizing reliance on powerful orally administered painkillers. The article quotes Dr. Lynn Webster, a member of the International Neuromodulation Society, and pain policy advocate. (Houston Chronicle)

Deep Brain Stimulation Clinical Trial in Refractory Depression Starts Enrollment in New England
March 2, 2012 -  The University of Massachusetts Medical Center has become the latest center to open enrollment in St. Jude Medical's study of deep brain stimulation in medically refractory depression. The New England site joins a half-dozen sites in the study that is anticipated to include 20 centers. Many of the trials are being led by members of the International Neuromodulation Society. (Worcester Telegram & Gazette)

Unit Using Mild Electrical Stimulation Clears FDA for Female Urinary Incontinence
March 2, 2012 - InControl Medical announced the FDA has cleared InTone, a device that combines stimulation similar to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, exercises, guided biofeedback and a pressure sensor to treat female urinary incontinence under a physician's guidance. (Renal & Urology News)

Case Study Shows Pain Reduction From Spinal Cord Stimulation after Lung Cancer Surgery
March 1, 2012 - Following up on a poster presentation from the 2009 meeting of the North American Neuromodulation Society, a chapter of the INS, an Ohio-based clinical team has published a two-year followup case of using spinal cord stimulation to manage post-surgical pain following lung cancer surgery. The patient reported improved quality of life and more than 75% reduction in pain. (Pain Management Nursing)

TMS Study Reveals Visual Cortex Stimulation Affects Perception of Smell
February 29, 2012 - A team of researchers in Montreal and Philadelphia have found that stimulating the visual cortex with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation improved a task requiring discrimination among different odor qualities. Consistent with the fact that people often visualize a perceived source of an odor when attempting to identify it, the results indicate that perceptual tasks are influenced by processing within cortical areas of other sensory systems. (Journal of Neuroscience)

Clinical Study in Overactive Bladder Begins Enrollment
February 29, 2012 - Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island is enrolling women in a study to compare the effect of two therapies for refractory urinary urge incontinence. The ROSETTA Study – Reftractory Overactive Bladder: Sacral NEuromodulation vs. BoTulinum Toxin Assessment -- is part of the national Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. (PR.com)

Bioethics of Brain Stimulation Technologies to be Examined
February 29, 2012 -  The Nuffield Council on Bioethics, an independent body based in the U.K. that advises policy makers and stimulates debate, will examine technologies that can intervene in the brain, from the therapeutic and learning-boosting aspects of brain stimulation to brain-computer interfaces to assist people with severe motor limitations, which might one day also have potential applications in the military arena. News reports were carried by the BBC, Reuters, and other outlets. (BBC)

Functional Brain Imaging Reveals Clues to Effect of Psilocybin
February 29, 2012 - Brain-based effects of psilocybin, a mushroom-derived psychedelic with indigenous and potential therapeutic use, were evaluated in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  Functional brain imaging of 15 healthy volunteers suggest that its subjective effects are caused by decreased activity and connectivity in the brain’s key connector hubs. (Medical Xpress)

Restorative Effects of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reported in an Experimental Model of Depression
February 27, 2012 - A research team at the Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, Germany used an animal model of depression to examine the restorative effects of vagal nerve stimulation. With three weeks of stimulation, the olifactory-bulb-excised rats demonstrated active avoidance learning, and the stimulation appeared to halt a decrease in  neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus that would normally be associated with this excision. The team reports the restorative effects of VNS in this model might permit comparison with effects of antidepressants. (Brain Stimulation: Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation)

Autonomic Technologies Initiates European Study of Novel Neurostimulator for the Treatment of Severe Migraine
February 27, 2012 - Autonomic Technologies, Inc., the developer of a novel miniaturized implantable stimulator for severe headaches, is starting a study in Europe to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the company's investigational neurostimulation system for the treatment of high-frequency, high-disability migraine. The device, inserted through the gum, targets the sphenopalatine ganglion nerve bundle, which has been a target previously for nerve blocks. The multi-center, randomized Pathway M-1 study builds on earlier results with cluster headache -- presented at the North American Neuromodulation Society meeting in December 2011 -- and will enroll 30 patients initially at headache centers in Denmark, Belgium, Spain, France and Germany. (Business Wire)

Patient Describes Experience with Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Urge Incontinence
February 27, 2012 - A retiree in the U.K. who suffered from bladder incontinence is profiled in the Daily Mail about her experience with minimally invasive percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, an alternative to sacral nerve stimulation for the disorder. (Daily Mail Online)
 
Small-Business TENS Suppliers to be Sought by U.S. Veterans Affairs
February 27, 2012 - The Department of Veterans Affairs' National Acquisition Center is seeking to determine if there are adequate small business concerns capable of providing transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation items prior to potentially issuing a request for proposal. (FedBizzOpps.Gov)

Study of t-VNS in Epilepsy Announced
February 24, 2012 - Researchers at cerboMed GmbH will examine the viability of using transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation as a non-invasive treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in a study of 70 patients, led by Prof. Hajo Hamer. (Epilepsy Research UK)

Researchers Identify Parameters for Deep Brain Stimulation in Rat Model of Dementia
February 24, 2012 - Experimenting with deep brain stimulation in a rat model of dementia, researchers at the Maastricht University Medical Center Department of Neuroscience in the Netherlands identified the fornix as a key region in controlling spatial memory functions, and found that the fornix is not sensitive to the frequency of stimulation, but rather to current levels. (Brain Stimulation: Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation)

Pilot Study Indicates Tripolar, 16-contact Lead Provides Coverage in Low Back Pain from Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
February 24, 2012 - A pilot study of 43 stimulation configurations in 11 patients who had chronic intractable low back pain from failed back surgery syndrome indicates that a tripolar, 16-contact spinal cord stimulation lead successfully covered both sides of the back and legs in 9 patients. The study by International Neuromodulation Society member Philippe Rigoard, MD, PhD, and colleagues appears in the March 2012 issue of the journal Neurosurgery. (Neurosurgery)

Sensors Track Patients' State of Pain
February 23, 2012 - Dr. Christophe Perruchoud, president of the Swiss chapter of the International Neuromodulation Society, is participating in a study at the Morges Hospital to correlate objective measurements of patients' activity levels with their degree of pain. Information from sensors worn by the patients creates a sort of visual barcode that tells physicians at a glance how a patient is doing.  (Science Daily)

Urgent Safety Action Notice for CareFusion's NicoletOne Products
February 23, 2012 - In an action affecting 132 devices and 35 software licenses, CareFusion is recalling Nicolet Cortical Stimulator Control Unit, Nicolet C64 Stimulus Switching Unit (SSU) Amplifier and NicoletOne Software with Cortical Stimulator. The products were manufactured from May 2009 - July 2011 for functional brain-mapping of patients with seizure disorders and brain tumors. The software incorrectly indicates stimulation is delivered to a different electrode than the one selected, and a short circuit may develop. (FDA)

Device Company Projects Neuromodulation and Related Sales
February 23, 2012 - Greatbatch Inc. expects combined revenue from neuromodulation and cardiac rhythm management for 2012 to be lower in the first half of 2012 but begin to rebound in the second half of the year. (BusinessWire)

Quality of Life Improved for Migraine Patients Receiving Occipital Nerve Stimulation
February 22, 2012 - Of 157 patients in a prospective, multi-center, double-blind study assessing occipital nerve stimulation in migraine, many had fewer headache days, so their condition lessened from chronic to episodic, according to research published online ahead of print by Neurology Reviews. The study by Dr. Stephen D. Silberstein was presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the North American Neuromodulation Society. Although statistically significant pain reduction of 50% was not noted, nearly 67% of patients in the active group reported improved quality of life, as opposed to 17.2% of patients in the control group, and 83% - 90% would want the procedure again or recommend it, respectively. (Neurology Reviews)

Review Article Finds Sacral Nerve Stimulation Helps Patients With Non-Neurogenic Fecal Incontinence
February 22, 2012 - A retrospective review of 10 reports from 1995 - 2011 indicates that sacral nerve stimulation appears to improve quality of life in patients whose fecal incontinence is caused by an anal sphincter lesion rather than neurogenic reasons. The review in Colorectal Disease was authored by researchers at the Department of Surgical Sciences, Catholic University, Rome. (Colorectal Disease)

Medicare Administrator Determines Benefit of InterStim Fecal Incontinence Device
February 21, 2012 - Palmetto GBA, a BlueCross BlueShield subsidiary that administers Medicare health insurance nationwide for the U.S. government, has determined that InterStim, a FDA approved neuromodulation device to treat fecal incontinence, meets the reasonable and necessary criteria for a Medicare benefit. (Palmetto GBA)

Deep Brain Stimulation Improves Motor Learning in Parkinson's Disease, Study Shows
February 22, 2012 - PET imaging in eight Parkinson's Disease patients showed improved learning of motor sequence tasks with deep brain stimulation, according to research in the Journal of Neuroscience. The patients all had bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) implants in the New York-based study by Drs. Hideo Mure, Chris C. Tang, Miklos Argyelan, Maria-Felice Ghilardi, Vijay Dhawan, David Eidelberg and Michael G. Kaplitt, a member of the International Neuromodulation Society. Despite consistent improvement in motor ratings during infusion, levodopa did not alter learning performance or network activity. Study results implicate activity of a specific cerebello-premotor cortical network. The authors conclude selective modulation of overactive supplementary motor area–STN projection pathways may underlie the improved learning. (Journal of Neuroscience)

Deep TMS Trial Shows Blood-Brain Barrier Opening in Brain Tumor Patients
February 21, 2012 - Brainsway Ltd. announced that it has received the final results of a clinical trial performed by Advanced Technologies Innovation Distribution SRL (ATID) in Italy to explore the efficacy of high-intensity, deep transcranial magnetic stimulation in the opening of the blood-brain barrier in patients with brain tumors. Compared to sham stimulation, real stimulation induced a temporary but significant degree of opening in 10 of the 12 patients -- 83% -- in and around the tumor zone. (Reuters)

Neuromodulation Sales Increase in Medtronic's Third Quarter
February 21, 2012 - Medtronic's neuromodulation business reported a 4 percent increase to $419 million in the third quarter of a fiscal year ending April 30. The growth was driven by strong InterStim Therapy sales. Also, the company received FDA clearance in the third quarter for the RestoreSensor spinal cord stimulator with the proprietary AdaptiveStim technology. (Becker's Orthopedic, Spine & Pain Management)

News Report Summarizes Aspects of Neuromodulation Therapies for Spinal Issues
February 21, 2012 - The Irish Times featured a clinical trial update by Dr. Declan O'Keeffe, an International Neuromodulation Society member who said an ongoing study of about 80 patients who have a spinal cord stimulation implant for failed back surgery syndrome show that from 75- 90% experienced at least a 50% reduction in pain for back and leg pain, respectively. He presented the Dublin trial results at the fourth annual scientific meeting of the Faculty of Pain Medicine in the College of Anaesthetists of Ireland, Science in the Diagnosis & Treatment of Spinal Pain. The article also mentioned a talk on minimally invasive spine surgery techniques by Dr. Elliot Krames, founder of the INS journal Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface. (Irish Times)

Evidence Found for TMS Pruning Neural Connections in Mice
February 18, 2012 - Stimulating the brain of mice with transcranial magnetic stimulation at intensities lower than would make a neuron fire can remove unwanted neural connections, according to research by Jennifer Rodger from the University of Western Australia. (New Scientist)

Percutaneous Sciatic Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Aids Two Cases of Acute Battlefield Neuropathic Pain
February 17, 2012 - Acute peripheral neuropathic pain after combat-related injuries is common and often refractory to current drugs and regional anesthesia. Spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation treat chronic neuropathic pain, but have not been reported for acute neuropathic pain. In soldiers whose conditions precluded them from spinal cord stimulation placement, using percutaneous ultrasound-guided sciatic peripheral nerve stimulation led to opioid reduction and marked increase in functionality in one case, and cessation of opioid escalation, with eventual reduction after permanent implantation, in the other. (Anesthesia & Analgesia)

Device-maker Greatbach Pays $12 million for Neural Interface Developer NeuroNexus
February 17, 2012 - Reuters reports that Greatbach, a leading pulse-generator component maker, acquired NeuroNexus for about $12 million. NeuroNexus develops neural interface devices across a wide range of functions including neuromodulation, sensing, optical stimulation and targeted drug delivery applications. Key NeuroNexus technologies, high-density silicon-based electrodes and interconnects, are more suited to neuroprosthetic rather than neuromodulation therapies, points out NeuroTech Zone, adding that the acquisition "brings us one step closer to a long-awaited clinical trial of probes developed using the semiconductor microfabrication technologies." (NeuroTech Zone, Reuters)

Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Shows Dose-Response Effect in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
February 15, 2012 - Research from the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center showed marked dose-related increases in airflow from stepped-up stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve, allowing patients to achieve normal or near-normal airflow without awakening. (Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine)

Deep Brain Stimulation Shows Impact on Respiration
February 15, 2012 - In the journal Neurosurgery, a clinical research team centered at the University of Oxford, U. K., reports the impact of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on respiration. Patients who already had a DBS system in place to help manage chronic pain or movement disorder showed improved respiration, as measured by peak expiratory flow, during stimulation of two brain areas important for autonomic nervous system control: the periaqueductal gray matter and the subthalamic nucleus. The findings may provide insight into treating asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The authors were: Drs. Jonathan Hyam, John-Stuart Brittain, David J. Paterson, Robert J. Davies, Tipu Aziz, and Alexander Green, a member of the International Neuromodulation Society. (Newswise)

Large, Multi-Center Study of Neurostimulation In Fecal Incontinence Starts Enrollment
February 15, 2012 - Patient enrollment has begun in a study of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation in fecal incontinence, announced Uroplasty, Inc., whose Urgent® PC neuromodulation system will be used in the CONFIDeNT clinical study. The placebo-controlled study of more than 200 patients at up to 20 centers in the U.K. was initiated by International Neuromodulation Society member Prof. Charles Knowles, PhD, professor of surgical research at the Centre for Digestive Diseases, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University, London. (PR Newswire)

Pain Specialists Discuss Benefits of Proposed Intrathecal Pain Management Guidelines
February 15, 2012 - Anesthesiology News reports the 2011 Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference's proposed guidelines that call for managing chronic neuropathic and nociceptive pain with first-line administration of intrathecal opoids and nonopoids, in an interview with pain specialists including Dr. Timothy Deer, the guideline's lead author and president-elect of the International Neuromodulation Society. (Anesthesiology News)

Light-Excited Quantum Dots Shown to Open Channels in Nerve Cells
February 14, 2012 - University of Washington researchers showed in the laboratory that cultured mammalian cells can be evoked by eliciting a dipole moment in an adjacent nanoparticle that is light-sensitive and semiconducting; a so-called quantum dot. The researchers tested both prostrate cancer cells and mice cortical neurons. The quantum dots were excited with incident visible light, which caused a negative charge near the cell and induced an ion channel to open, which precedes nerve firing. They postulate this approach may have advantages over optogenetics for conceivably being engineered to provide light-stimulated neuromodulation therapy. (New Scientist and Biomedical Optics Express via io9)

Neuroimaging Complements Neuromodulation When Determining Neuronal Correlates of
Tinnitus
February 13, 2012 - Measurements of oscillatory brain activity before and after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) reveal different effects in different patients, explaining a mixed response to the therapy, report a team of researchers based in Germany and Belgium: Drs. Berthold Langguth, Martin Schecklmann, Astrid Lehner, Michael Landgrebe, Timm B. Poeppl, Peter M. Kreuzer, Winfried Schlee, Nathan Weisz, Sven Vanneste, and Dirk De Ridder (Vanneste and De Ridder are members of the International Neuromodulation Society). (Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience)

Training Increases Proper Use of DBS Controller in Elderly
February 13, 2012 - Forty-one patients, with a mean age of approximately 66 years, were studied to determine factors controlling usability of deep brain stimulation controllers in a study reported in BMC Neurology. Half the subjects were shown a video for observational learning before they were given assignments on a model controller. The other half did not see the video. The group that had seen the video demonstrated fewer errors, both immediately after training, and when re-evaluated six months later. (BMC Neurology)

Vasospastic Syndrome Reveals Clues to Mode of Action of Spinal Cord Stimulation
February 5, 2012 - A patient with the vasospastic condition Raynaud's Syndrome, who showed decreased sensitivity to warm, cold, and tactile stimuli, displayed sensory alterations under the influence of spinal cord stimulation (SCS), a research team reports in Pain Practice. The stimulation reduced her sensation of hot, cold and vibration, and increased her sensitivity to touch. The authors write that further investigation may reveal more about the mode of action of SCS. Her reactions were compared to a control group of 80 subjects by the researchers -- Drs. Tino Münster, Nils Tiebel, Christian Maihöfner, and Hendrikus Seyer, who is a member of the International Neuromodulation Society. (Pain Practice)

Long-term, Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
February 5, 2012 - A research team at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands reports in Pain Practice finding similar effects in patients with chronic pain who were treated either with Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) or sham TENS over one year. Of the treated group, 30% were satisfied with the result, while 23% of the untreated group were satisfied. Both of the groups of satisfied patients reported a mean overall improvement of about 63%, which supports the existence of a long-sustained placebo effect. (Pain Practice)

Memory Enhancement and Deep-Brain Stimulation
February 8, 2012 - A research team centered at the University of California, Los Angeles reports in the New England Journal of Medicine finding that deep-brain stimulation of the entorhinal complex, which is a critical link to the hippocampus and neocortex in memory formation, improved spatial learning. The seven research subjects had received electrode implants to identify seizure-onset zones for subsequent epilepsy surgery. In the study, stimulation to the hippocampus showed no learning improvement. Results were compared between trials in which subthreshold levels of stimulation were used in half the learning attempts. Alzheimer's disease implications were reported in a variety of mainstream news media (Washington Post, New York Times, ABC News, Wall Street Journal Digital, and more). (New England Journal of Medicine)

Study: Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Widened Airways in a Majority of Apnea Patients
February 3, 2012 - A feasibility trial of 26 subjects at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis, reported in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery showed increased airway dimensions in a majority of patients, as indicated by fluoroscopy. All subjects demonstrated anterior displacement of the tongue, and 65%, opening of the retropalatal airway, with 92% showing anterior displacement of the hyoid bone.  (PubMed)

TENS Shown to Relieve Postoperative Pain and Nausea Following Gallbladder Surgery
February 2, 2012 - Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) significantly reduced postoperative pain in gallbladder patients compared with the placebo, researchers report in the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. TENS also lowered the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting.  (American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)

Case Study Indicates Spinal Cord Stimulation Effective for HIV Neuropathy
February 7, 2012 - At the 6th World Congress of the World Institute of Pain, researchers reported that spinal cord stimulation relieved one patient's longstanding HIV-related polyneuropathy, according to a Medscape report. (Becker's Orthopedic, Spine & Pain Management)

St. Jude Fourth-Quarter Report Shows Neuromodulation Growth
February 3, 2012 - St. Jude's quarterly earnings report shows growth of the neuromodulation segment was up 12%. Overall revenues were up although that was offset somewhat by special charges. (Zack's)

Study Indicates How rTMS Corrects Abnormal Brain Connections
February 6, 2012 - Transcranial pulsed magnetic field stimulation (rTMS) facilitates reorganization of abnormal neural circuits and corrects behavioral deficits without disrupting normal connectivity, according to laboratory research at the University of Western Australia that has implications for treatment of neurological disease. The study, published in the journal FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology), provides a better understanding of how rTMS renders benefits in pioneering treatment of conditions such as Parkinson's disease, depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy and stroke. (University of Western Australia)

Boston Scientific Announces CE Mark Approval and European Launch for Rechargeable Spinal Cord Stimulator InfinionTM 16 Percutaneous Lead
February 3, 2012 - At the World Institute of Pain Conference, Boston Scientific announced it has received regulatory approval to begin marketing its Infinion 16 Lead in European CE Mark countries. Already marketed in the U.S., it is designed for use with the company's rechargeable Precision PlusTM Spinal Cord Stimulator System. The first patient implant in Europe using the InfinionTM 16 Lead was performed at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Guldheden, Sweden by  by Kliment Gatzinsky, MD, Ph.D., and David Revesz, MD - both members of the International Neuromodulation Society. (PR Newswire)

Academic Collaborators Visualize Neuromodulated Basis of Appetite Control in Fruit Flies
February 3, 2012 - Dopamine modulates sugar-sensing neurons in the Drosophila brain while sucrose evokes a calcium influx, TANGO-mapping shows in a method that might be extended to other model systems, according to a paper in the journal Cell by a research team led by David J. Anderson at the California Institute of Technology. The paper's summary notes, "Behavior cannot be predicted from a 'connectome' because the brain contains a chemical 'map' of neuromodulation superimposed upon its synaptic connectivity map. Neuromodulation changes how neural circuits process information in different states, such as hunger or arousal." (Cell)

Patient Forum Seeks to Provide Discussion Venue for DBS Recipients
January 28, 2012 - Yahoo! Answers carries a reply to someone seeking input about experiences with a deep brain stimulation implant. The reply recommends participation in a patient forum, DBS surgery, on Yahoo Groups, which has been in existence since 2002, has 1,717 members, and had 328 messages on discussion boards in January. (Yahoo)

Ireland Debates Providing Its Own Deep Brain Stimulation Service, Appoints an Assessment Panel
January 27, 2012 - Ireland's publicly funded Health Service Executive has asked for a health technology assessment about providing a national Deep Brain Stimulation service. The assessment by the nation's Health Information and Quality Authority will focus on developing a standard for the provision of such a service in Ireland (including staffing, equipment and other resources) and will evaluate the associated costs. It will then compare these with the current arrangements where eligible patients are referred, under the Treatment Abroad Scheme, to centers outside of Ireland for the surgery. (Health Information and Quality Authority)

Hybrid Imaging and Emerging Markets are Growth Areas for Medical Devices
January 27, 2012 - The use of hybrid imaging technologies such as PET/CT and PET/MRI will see growth in the diagnostic imaging industry and will likely be a mainstay in future imaging, according to a report from GBI Research. The report also anticipates that the increasing demand for imaging in emerging markets, including China, India and Brazil, will balance the lower demand in developed countries, particularly the U.S., because of reimbursement cuts. (MolecularImaging.net)

Uroplasty, Inc. Reports 2011 Gains
January 26, 2012 - Uroplasty, Inc. notes in its quarterly report that the Medicare carrier for Florida has released a formal, specific reimbursement policy for posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) that becomes effective February 1. The device maker has the only FDA-cleared PTNS system for office-based treatment of overactive bladder and urge incontinence. Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, with subsidiaries in The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, the company reported its net operating losses are down, and global sales increased 53% to $5.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2012, compared with $3.5 million in the fiscal third quarter a year ago. Sales in the U.S. grew 78%, with an 89% increase in sales of the Urgent PC Neuromodulation System and a 71% increase in sales of Macroplastique. Outside the U.S., sales rose by 19%. (MarketWatch)

EnteroMedics, Inc. Receives Australian Approval for Vagal Stimulator Targeting Digestive Functions, Reports Ongoing Medical Trial Spending
January 26, 2012 - EnteroMedics Inc., which develops vagal neuroregulation devices to treat obesity, metabolic diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders by affecting the perception of hunger and fullness, announced final approval to commercialize its Maestro System in Australia. For the full year ended December 31, 2011, the company reported a net loss of $26.0 million, or $0.86 per share, and $29.7 million in cash and equivalents. Main operating expenses are for ongoing clinical trials, including the ReCharge Pivotal Trial, due to be unblinded by the end of 2012. In it, 233 patients are being evaluated at 10 sites to test effectiveness and safety of a second-generation Maestro System powered by a rechargeable integrated battery. All patients in the randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study are expected to participate in a weight management counseling program and receive an implanted device, with one-third of patients, in a control group, receiving a non-functional device for the duration of the study. (Newswire)

Brain-Boosting Results From TDCS Raise Considerations about Appropriate Use
January 26, 2012 - Researchers are pondering the ethical aspects of preliminary lab results showing transcranial direct current stimulation, or TDCS, can be used to improve learning. In TDCS, externally applied currents of less than 1 mA make it easier for neurons in these brain regions to fire, which is thought to enhance the making and strengthening of connections involved in learning and memory. (HealthCanal)

New Jersey Medical Center Announces Availability of DBS for Parkinson's Disease and  Essential Tremor
January 25, 2012 - Riverview Medical Center of Red Bank, New Jersey announced it is one of the first hospitals in the area to offer deep brain stimulation  for essential tremors and Parkinson’s disease. Neurosurgeon Peter Zahos, a member of the International Neuromodulation Society, is one of only four physicians performing the procedure in the state, and one of only three physicians in the three-state area who uses frameless technology. (NewsWise)

Retinal Implant Interim Report Shows Vision Improvements
January 23, 2012 - Interim results of a clinical trial of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System (Second Sight Medical Products), published this month in Ophthalmology, show for patients with outer retinal degeneration, 96% of subjects did significantly better in location of objects, 57% did better in motion discrimination and 23% had improved orientation recognition. The device was approved in 2011 for marketing in Europe. (Reuters Health via Health24)

Randomized Study Shows Position-Adaptive Stimulation is Safe and Effective
January 23, 2012 - A randomized study of 79 patients at 10 U.S. centers demonstrated that automatic position–adaptive stimulation is safe and effective in providing benefits in terms of patient–reported improved pain relief and convenience, compared with using manual programming adjustment alone, according to a report in Pain Physician by International Neuromodulation Society members David M. Schultz, MD, Lynn R. Webster, MD, Peter Kosek, MD, and Urfan Dar, MD, and colleaguesYe Tan, MS, and Mark Sun, PhD. (Pain Physician)

A New Shape Concept for Electrode Contacts Used for Peripheral Nerve Stimulation and Subcutaneous Neurostimulation
January 24, 2012 - At the University of Illinois at Chicago, International Neuromodulation Society board member Dr. Konstantin Slavin's concept is listed among innovations from the campus. The university says the researchers propose a non-traditional shape of the electrode contacts that changes the way electrical device interfaces with biological tissues and electrical energy of stimulation is delivered to the stimulation targets. (Innovations at the University of Illinois)

Mysteries of Epilepsy Presented in Voice of America News Feature
January 23, 2012 - Deep brain stimulation and other treatments for epilepsy are explained in a special report by Voice of America geared to English-language learners. (Voice of America)

Rat Study Indicates TENS May Improve Stress-Related IBS Symptoms
January 19, 2012 -  Colonic motility disorders may contribute to symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, which may be influenced by stress. Writing in Digestive Diseases and Sciences, a medical research team at the Medical College of Wisconsin reports that a study in rats indicates Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation may upregulate anti-stressor expression and be useful to treat gastrointestinal symptoms associated with stress.  (Digestive Diseases and Sciences)

Michigan Hospital Announces Participation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Clinical Trial
January 18, 2012 - Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit issued a news release announcing that it is one of the few U.S. centers for a clinical trial to evaluate safety and efficacy of the Apnex® Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System in patients who have obstructive sleep apnea, and have not received lasting benefit from other treatments. The trial of the investigational device is taking place in the U.S., Australia and Europe. (Newswise)

Electrical Stimulation Study Suggests Method of Testing for Cervical Spine Disorders
January 17, 2012 - A study published in Spinal Cord of healthy volunteers at the Neuro Lab of Texas Woman's University, School of Physical Therapy showed multisegmental motor responses in the upper extremities after stimulation of cervical spinal vertebrae (C7). The results suggest the response may be caused by stimulating the dorsal roots or motor nuclei, which could be useful in testing patients with cervical spinal disorders. (Spinal Cord)

Sequential Bilateral Cochlear Implantation Improves Quality of Life in Children
January 16, 2012 - Thirty children with pre lingual deafness received a second, bilateral cochlear implant around age 5 in a prospective study at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, the Netherlands. They were compared to a cohort of nine children who had a unilateral cochlear implant. The children with a bilateral implant showed a higher disease-related quality of life, which continued to improve with longer durations of bilateral implant use. (Archives of Otolaryingology - Head & Neck Surgery)

Development of Spinal Cord Stimulation Reviewed in Journal Article
January 11, 2012 - In the January/February issue of the Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine: A Journal of Translational and Personalized Medicine, Drs. Lawrence J. Epstein and Marco Palmieri review the state of spinal cord stimulation, its history, pathophysiology and efficacy. (Wiley Online Library)

Review Article Addresses Peripheral Aspects of VNS in Epilepsy
January 14, 2012 - In Surgical Neurology International Stereotactic, Dr. Scott E. Krahl, professor of neurosurgery at the University of California, Los Angeles, and deputy associate chief of staff for research at the Veteran's Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, reviews peripheral mechanisms in vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for epilepsy. (Surgical Neurology International Stereotactic)

Basic Research Suggests Mode of Interrupting Development of Chronic Pain Potentiation
January 12, 2012 - Administering high doses of a fast-acting opiate to rat nerve fibers appears to halt development of chronic pain caused by long-term potentiation, according to research published in Science. A second infusion of the drug, remifentanil, an hour later abolished the long-term potentiation and restored these rats' pain levels to normal. A high dose of remifentanil was also effective in reducing the pain of the rats treated with capsaicin or high-frequency stimulation. Treating the rats with half the dose of remifentanil did not produce the same effect. Co-author Jürgen Sandkühler, a neurophysiologist at the Center for Brain Research of the Medical University of Vienna, suggests that a threshold level of the drug is needed to disrupt the movement of calcium signalling ions between nerves and neutralize the long-term potentiation. (Nature News)

Constant-Current DBS Shows Positive Results in Parkinson's Clinical Trial
January 11, 2012 - The first large, randomized, controlled study of a constant current device for managing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease were published in The Lancet, showing a statistically significant increase in "on" time for Parkinson's patients with stimulation. The 136-patient trial was conducted with St. Jude Medical's neurostimulator devices, Libra and LibraXP, which are approved for managing Parkinson's symptoms in Europe, Latin America and Australia. (Business Wire)

Effectiveness for Sacral Nerve Stimulation for Fecal Incontinence Shown for Patients Over Age 65
January 10, 2012 - Sacral nerve stimulation is an effective treatment for fecal incontinence in patients over 65 years, according to a prospective study of 30 patients with a mean age of 69.3, between 1996 - 2009, which was published in an early online view of the February 2012 issue of Colorectal Disease. (Colorectal Disease)

Children and Adolescents with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Benefit from Vagus Nerve Stimulation, Study Says
January 6, 2012 - Vagus nerve stimulation therapy is a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for children and adolescents of all ages with drug-resistant epilepsy, based on a study at the Epilepsy Diagnostic and Therapeutic Centre, Foundation of Epileptology, in Warsaw, Poland of 57 individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy by Drs. Beata Majkowska-Zwolińska, P. Zwoliński, M. Roszkowski, and K. Drabik, published online in an early view of the latest edition of the journal Child's Nervous System. (PubMed)

An Overview of the Development and Potential of Neuromodulation and Neurostimulation
January 5, 2012 -  Writing in a perspective piece in Translational Andrology and Urology, Dr. Emil A. Tanagho of the Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco Medical Center says, "Neurostimulation and neuromodulation are here to stay. They have already proven their effectiveness and their potential benefits. Considerable progress has been made during the last two decades in understanding the basic issues that are related to neurostimulation and its potential application, not only in the urinary tract and the pelvic organs, but also in other organs. Whenever there is an intact motor neuron system that can be isolated, it can be stimulated to drive the function it was intended for." (Translational Andrology and Urology)

New England Comparative Effectiveness Advisory Council Majority Supports TMS in Treatment-Resistant Depression
January 5, 2012 - A regional medical practice and reimbursement advisory board, the New England Comparative Effectiveness Advisory Council (CEPAC), voted 10 to 5 that the evidence was adequate to demonstrate that TMS was as good, or better, than usual care (i.e. general supportive psychotherapy with or without continued use of antidepressant medication).  CEPAC also voted 9 to 6 that the evidence to support the use of TMS was adequate to demonstrate equivalent or superior outcomes to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).  CEPAC then reviewed the budget impact and cost-effectiveness of TMS and the majority voted that, at current Medicare reimbursement rates, the use of TMS represents “reasonable value” when compared to usual care and a “low value” when compared to ECT. (Institute for Clinical and Economic Review)

Noise Stimulation in Parkinson's May Alter Nerve Signaling, Improve Motion, Study Suggests
January 6, 2012 - Exposure to mild noise applied by external electrodes can improve motion by changing nerve signaling in the brain, according to a preclinical study from the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden being published in the online journal PLoSOne. Since noise stimulation is relatively simple and can be carried out with ordinary skin electrodes, the authors hope that the method can be used as a supplement to existing treatment for Parkinson’s disease. (Health News)

TMS Helps to Distinguish Minimal Consciousness from Vegetative State in Brain-Injured Patients
January 9, 2012 - Collaborating teams led by Drs. Marcello Massimini and Steven Laureys report in the journal Brain this week that using transcranial magnetic stimulation and tracking internal communication between regions of the brain with EEG indicates which brain-injured and non-communicative patients have neuronal activity that indicates re-emergence of consciousness. (HealthCanal)

Study Indicates Neurostimulation is Useful to Improve Swallowing After Stroke
 January 4, 2012 - Paired associative stimulation (PAS), which combines peripheral stimulation of targeted muscle and cortical stimulation of the targeted muscle's representational area, may aid in the rehabilitation of patients with dysphagia caused by stroke, reports a study published in the January issue of Gastroenterology. (HealthDay via Doctor's Lounge)

Cyberonics Announces FDA Approval of Re-Designed Generator for VNS Therapy
January 4, 2012 - Cyberonics issued a news release saying the FDA approved its re-designed AspireHC (High Capacity) generator for treatment-resistant epilepsy. The generator had been subject to a voluntary product withdrawal in August 2011, after the company learned that stimulation output current delivered to patients by the original units could be less than the output current programmed by a physician. (PR Newswire)

Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Shown to Improve Airflow in Sleep Apnea Patients
January 3, 2012 - A study from the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, published in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, suggests hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) may be an alternative to commonly used continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for obstructive sleep apnea. HGNS produced marked dose-related increases in airflow in obstructive sleep apnea patients, while the effectiveness of CPAP is often limited by poor patient adherence. (National Sleep Foundation)

Brain Electrodes Fix Depression Long Term
January 3, 2012 - News coverage in Nature emphasizes the long-term lack of remission noted in research reported Monday on the results of deep brain stimulation in treatment-resistant unipolar and bipolar depression. (Nature)

Deep brain stimulation shows promising results for unipolar and bipolar depression
January 3, 2012 - An Emory University School of Medicine study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, shows deep brain stimulation is safe and effective for treatment-resistant depression in patients who have either unipolar major depressive disorder or bipolar II disorder. The research with 17 patients builds on work done in Toronto on deep brain stimulation in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, paving the way for enrolling clinical trial subjects who have either unipolar or bipolar depression. (Lead author Dr. Paul Holtzheimer, and one collaborator, Dr. Helen Mayberg, serve on the editorial board of the INS journal, Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface.) (Edmonton Journal, EurekAlert)

Study May Advance the Possibility that Surgical Brain Implants Might Benefit Mentally Ill Patients
January 2, 2012 - CNN health blog publishes Emory University's clear image of implanted deep brain stimulation leads, and describes the technology licensed by Dr. Helen Mayberg to St. Jude, whose deep brain stimulation devices showed safety and efficacy in a two-year study of 17 patients with treatment-resistant unipolar and bipolar depression published Monday in the Archives of General Psychiatry. (CNN)

Researchers in Texas and Arizona Report Reducing Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain with PNS
January 2012 - Writing in the January 2012 issue of Pain Physician, International Neuromodulation Society members David A. Stidd, MD; Adam Wuollet, MD; Martin E. Weinand, MD; and Emil Annabi, MD; and colleagues Kirk Bowden, DO; Theodore Price PhD; Amol Patwardhan, MD, PhD;  Steve Barker, MD, PhD; and Jeffrey Annabi, MD report a small observational study of three patients who were treated with peripheral nerve stimulation for trigeminal neuropathic pain. There was an overall 87% reduction of pain for these patients, whose conditions had common causes and were refractory to medical management. (Pain Physician)

To see select neuromodulation news by category, as well as news about the INS in particular, please visit the Newsroom. To see archived news briefs dating back to January 2011, visit the News Archive.

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The International Neuromodulation Society (INS) is a non-profit group of clinicians, scientists and engineers dedicated to the scientific development and awareness of neuromodulation - the alteration of nerve activity through the delivery of electrical stimulation or chemical agents to targeted sites of the body. Founded in 1989 and based in San Francisco, CA, the INS educates and promotes the field through meetings, its bi-monthly, peer-reviewed journal Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface and chapter websites.

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