Clinical Trial Finds Deep Brain Stimulation Improves Cognition in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients
In a recent clinical trial published in Nature Medicine, researchers have discovered that deep brain stimulation (DBS) may significantly improve cognition in individuals suffering from traumatic brain injuries. The trial involved five participants who exhibited remarkable improvements in processing speed after undergoing DBS implants.
Deep brain stimulation involves the application of an electrical current to specific areas of the thalamus, a brain structure responsible for attention, decision-making, and working memory. By activating and restoring connections among damaged neurons, researchers were able to observe cognitive improvements in the participants.
The trial focused on individuals who had experienced medium to severe traumatic brain injuries for a minimum of two years. These patients underwent surgery to implant electrodes near the lateral side of their thalamus in both brain hemispheres. Following the surgery, researchers carefully adjusted the stimulation parameters for each participant and applied electrical currents for 12 hours a day over a three-month period.
The results of the trial were astounding. Participants exhibited a remarkable 15-52% improvement in processing speed as measured by cognitive tests conducted after three months of DBS treatment. Additionally, the participants showed an average improvement of 30.7% in an attention task and a 32% improvement in completing the cognitive test.
Buoyed by these promising findings, the research team plans to expand their work by conducting larger trials. They hope to develop a reliable treatment protocol that can be implemented in other medical centers to deliver this innovative therapy.
DBS has shown tremendous potential for treating a variety of neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. However, this trial provides groundbreaking evidence that DBS could also have significant benefits for patients with traumatic brain injuries. These findings offer hope for individuals struggling with the cognitive impairments often associated with such injuries.
As the research team looks towards the future, their main goal is to refine the DBS approach and explore the therapy’s long-term effects. The potential for DBS to significantly improve the quality of life for those living with traumatic brain injuries is an exciting development in the world of neuroscience.
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