Welcome to the future of medicine
Neuromodulation is one of the fastest growing areas of medicine. The term refers to therapies that restore or improve function in patients by correcting abnormal electrical or chemical activity in the brain.
One of the most prominent neuromodulation therapies is deep brain stimulation (DBS). Over the past two decades, DBS has revolutionized the management of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. In the future, the field of neuromodulation is expected to enable similar breakthroughs in psychiatric disorders such as depression and in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Watch video explanation of deep brain stimulation.
A unique opportunity for Barrow
DBS has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor. Under the FDA Humanitarian Device Exemption, DBS is also approved for the treatment of dystonia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Clinical trials are investigating the use of DBS for patients with depression, Tourette’s syndrome and epilepsy, and smaller studies have shown that DBS may be effective in treating other disorders. The potential of DBS seems endless.
Building on the base of knowledge using DBS to treat movement disorders, the launch of the Barrow Center for Neuromodulation uniquely positions Barrow to make an impact on this growing field. The center will have three components: world-class clinical services, top-rate clinical research and cutting-edge translational research. The initial focus of the center will be to identify specific targets in the brain that respond to stimulation and develop devices including electrical stimulators, as well as other types of neuromodulation, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and low frequency ultrasonic therapy, that can effectively treat various conditions. The infrastructure for these projects is already in place. As we expand our research platform, additional areas of study will include investigating the effects of neurostimulation on brain plasticity as a potential therapy for degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The advances being made in neuromodulation will offer hope to hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide and, with the establishment of this center, Barrow Neurological Institute becomes one of only a handful of institutions worldwide committed to driving this field forward.
Meet Francisco A. Ponce, MD, director of the Barrow Center for Neuromodulation.
View the Barrow Center for Neuromodulation brochure.
Support this important project
A total of $21 million is needed for the Barrow Center for Neuromodulation, and about $13 million has been given so far. Please join these friends of Barrow in supporting the center. Contact Kathy Kramer at 602-406-1042. Or make your gift online.
Thank you to the amazing individuals who are supporting the Barrow Center for Neuromodulation!
