Experts say alternative therapies help reset and repair brain

Medication has long been the cornerstone of treatment for people with epilepsy, but it doesn’t stop seizures for everyone and may come with significant side effects.

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New options in use or under development include devices and gene and cell therapies aimed at resetting or rehabilitating the brain circuits that cause seizures, explains Dr. Jonathon Parker, neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix and director of the Device-Based Neuroelectronics Research Lab.

The objective is a personalized approach that provides patients with the safest, most effective treatment options for them, Dr. Parker says. “Epilepsy on its own is very impactful on quality of life. You have these intermittent, unpredictable events or spells — electrical storms in the brain — that can affect your ability to communicate and control your body. Often, people lose consciousness,” he says. “It's a really challenging disease to live with.” Medication controls seizures in many patients, but it can come with side effects such as sleepiness, cognitive changes, mood changes and a feeling of mental fogginess, further affecting quality of life, Dr. Parker explains.