TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Taiwan University Hospital has used a deep brain stimulation system to help control seizures in a man in his 20s with epilepsy, CNA reported.
At a press conference Friday, the hospital presented the case of a patient with a rare form of epilepsy who saw little improvement from medication or immunotherapy and experienced up to 10 seizures a month. Epilepsy is caused by abnormal brain cell activity and can lead to loss of consciousness, convulsions, or numbness. While seizures are usually controllable with medication, seizures lasting more than five minutes, or recurring in quick succession, require urgent medical attention.
The hospital said the man’s condition is linked to genetic mutations and chronic brain inflammation, with affected areas spanning multiple regions of the brain. A team from the hospital’s epilepsy center implanted electrodes to precisely stimulate targeted nerve cells and monitor brain activity.
Neurologist Jao Tun (饒敦) said the system can be implanted in a minimally invasive procedure without significant damage to brain tissue. Unlike traditional external nerve stimulation, he said it allows electrical signals to be adjusted precisely based on a patient’s condition.
Jao said the treatment does not take effect immediately. After implantation, the patient underwent intensive follow-up and adjustments to stimulation sites, which reduced the frequency and intensity of his seizures. He said brain stimulation is not meant to repair existing neural damage, but can help prevent further injury by reducing seizure episodes.
Jao said epilepsy has many causes, and treatment options include medication, diet, or surgery. About half to two-thirds of patients can control seizures with medication. For rarer forms of epilepsy, surgery may help if a clear lesion is found; otherwise, neural stimulation can be used to manage the condition.
The hospital said the brain stimulation treatment previously cost up to NT$1.5 million (US$50,000), but starting this year, part of the procedure is covered by national health insurance. It said the treatment can also help improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, tremors, and movement disorders such as dystonia.
