Neuroscientists Create Fiber-Optic Method Of Arresting Epileptic
SeizuresMain Category: Epilepsy Also Included In: Medical
Devices / Diagnostics Article Date: 28 Jan 2013 - 1:00 PST
Neuroscientists Create Fiber-Optic Method Of Arresting Epileptic
Seizures |Patient / Public:| UC Irvine neuroscientists have
developed a way to stop epileptic seizures with fiber-optic
light signals, heralding a novel opportunity to treat the most
severe manifestations of the brain disorder. Using a mouse model
of temporal lobe epilepsy, Ivan Soltesz, Chancellor's Professor
and chair of anatomy & neurobiology, and colleagues created an
EEG-based computer system that activates hair-thin optical
strands implanted in the brain when it detects a real-time
seizure. These fibers subsequently "turn on" specially
expressed, light-sensitive proteins called opsins, which can
either stimulate or inhibit specific neurons in select brain
regions during seizures, depending on the type of opsin. The
researchers found that this process was able t