Epilepsy & Functional Neurosurgery
These faculty members focus on education and scientific advancements related to surgical treatments for many chronic neurological conditions and syndromes, such as movement disorders, epilepsy, chronic pain and psychiatric disorders.
Education
The Department of Neurological Surgery hosts multiple academic events related to functional neurosurgery topics every year. Through our affiliated hospitals and care sites, residents and fellows can work with faculty on cases of chronic pain, movement disorders and seizures and how such conditions may be treated through neuromodulation and functional neurosurgery.
Research
Some of our current clinical trials and technological development work include:
- Prospective assessment of Deep Brain Stimulation for movement disorders
- Early surgery for intractable epilepsy (ERSET trial)
- Noninvasive optical imaging of epileptogenic brain tissue
- Assessment of subcortical field stimulation potentials for the localization of epileptogenic areas of cortex
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging for pain assessment
- Assessment of frameless stereotaxy for functional procedures
- Coregistration of subdural grids with brain imaging for epilepsy surgery planning
- Novel implanted electrodes for headaches
- Stereotactic functional neurosurgery paradigms for tic douloureux
- Reclaim® Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Our basic science activities include:
- Assessment of catamenial temporal lobe epilepsy and its association with estrogen-related changes in hippocampal architecture
- Analysis of functional cortical organization using optical imaging
- Use of optical imaging to detect functional organization of cortical regions
Patient Care
Through the Functional Neurosurgery Program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, our faculty treat neurological conditions that can be managed by surgery, including:
- Movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, tremor and dystonia
Performing pallidotomy and thalamotomy procedures, among other treatments - Epilepsy and seizures
Surgical options for medication-resistant partial or focal epilepsy - Chronic pain
The Comprehensive Pain Management Program offers innovative surgical therapy, including deep brain stimulation surgery for severe, chronic and intractable pain