An experimental therapy that uses deep brain stimulation (DBS) to deliver precise electrical pulses to an area deep inside the brain restored executive function in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI) and chronic sequelae.
Participants in this first-in-humans trial experienced brain injuries between 3-18 years before the study that left them with persistent neuropsychological impairment and a range of functional disabilities.
This is the first time a DBS device has been implanted in the central thalamus in humans, an area of the brain measuring only a few millimeters wide that helps regulate consciousness.
Placing the electrodes required a novel surgical technique developed by the investigators that included virtual models of each participant's brain, microelectrode recording, and neuroimaging to identify neuronal circuits affected by the TBI.
After 3 months of 12-hour daily DBS treatments, participants' performance on cognitive tests improved by an average of 32% from baseline. Participants were able to read books, watch TV shows, play video games, complete schoolwork, and felt significantly less fatigued during the day.
Although the small trial only included five patients, the work is already being hailed by other experts as a significant advance for patients with chronic msTBI, a condition for which there are no effective treatments.
