Grant: Project Grant

The coordinated activity of brain cell ensembles, that can be assessed by measuring synchronization, is fundamental for adaptive information processing and is involved in a variety of cognitive functions such as sensorimotor integration, perceptual awareness and memory. There is evidence that abnormal synchronized patterns of brain activity are associated with disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy and certain types of addiction. A measure of synchronization between neural oscillations is an important indicator of a brain state, whether normal or pathological. Estimation of phase locking has emerged as a popular method of quantifying neural synchronization. We propose to use a miniature implantable neurostimulation system that we have already developed for automated seizure control. It performs: (1) chronic brain monitoring to extract phase locking features of cortical and deep-brain signals, (2) early detection of patient-specific seizures using in-implant artificial intelligence algorithms, and (3) optimal adaptive responsive neural stimulation for seizure abortion. The system could represent the only treatment option for intractable epilepsy patients who are not suitable for surgical recession.