‘First’ brain pacemaker implanted

A woman reportedly became the first Alzheimer’s patient in America to have a pacemaker implanted in her brain recently.

Kathy Sanford underwent the five hour surgery which was performed at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

She is reportedly the first of 10 patients who will be enrolled in a Food and Drug Administrationapproved study at the centre to determine if using a brain pacemaker can improve cognitive and behavioural functioning in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

The study employs the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS), the same technology used to successfully treat about 100,000 patients worldwide with diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.

In the study, researchers hope to determine whether DBS surgery can improve function governed by the frontal lobe and neural networks involved in cognition and behaviour by stimulating certain areas of the brain with a pacemaker.

Dr Douglas Scharre, neurologist and director of the division of cognitive neurology, and Dr Ali Rezai, neurosurgeon and director of the neuroscience program, both at Wexner Medical Center, are conducting the study.

“If the early findings that we’re seeing continue to be robust and progressive, then I think that will be very promising and encouraging for us,” Dr Rezai says.

The deep brain stimulation implant is similar to a cardiac pacemaker device with the exception that the pacemaker wires are implanted in the brain rather than the heart.

According to Dr Rezai, the pacemakers send tiny signals into the brain that regulate the abnormal activity of the brain and normalise it more.

“Right now, from what we’re seeing in our first patient, I think the results are encouraging, but this is research. We need to do more research and understand what’s going on,” he adds.

The study, which will enroll people with mild or early stage Alzheimer’s disease, will help determine if DBS has the potential to improve cognitive, behavioural and functional deficits.

Volunteer Ms Sanford continues to be evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the technology.

“I’m just trying to make the world a better place,” she says. “That’s all I’m doing.”

The Alzheimer’s study is scheduled to be completed in 2015.