Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an experimental therapy in which a stimulating electrode is implanted in the brain itself. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of DBS for Parkinson's disease in 1997, but it is not an accepted treatment for epilepsy at this time. Some researchers are studying the procedure.

The equipment used for DBS resembles the equipment used for vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). It includes a pulse generator similar to a heart pacemaker, which is implanted under the skin on the chest, below the collarbone, as well as a tiny electrode and a connecting wire. The implanted electrode precisely stimulates specific structures deep in the brain. There is still some controversy about what areas of the brain to stimulate in patients with epilepsy.

Because the electrodes are placed in the brain itself, DBS involves many more risks than VNS. The most important risk is a small chance of bleeding in the brain. The advantages of DBS over traditional surgery are that it is reversible and adjustable. No brain tissue is destroyed and the stimulator can be adjusted to achieve the best outcome. It can also be turned off or removed if adverse side effects occur.

Topic Editor: Howard L. Weiner, M.D.
Last Reviewed:3/8/04