Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Performing Behavioral Tasks in Subjects with Intracranial Electrodes
Published on: October 2, 2014
Low frequency electrical stimulation through subdural electrodes in a case of refractory status epilepticus
Lara M Schrader1, John M Stern, Charles L Wilson
1Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 710 Westwood Plaza, Room 1-194, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. lschrader@mednet.ucla.edu
Objective:
We delivered low frequency stimulation through subdural electrodes to suppress seizures in a case of refractory status epilepticus (RSE).
Methods:
A 26-year-old female developed RSE after several days of febrile illness. Seizure control required continuous infusion of two anesthetics plus high doses of 2-4 enteral antiepileptic drugs. After 3 months of RSE, subdural strips were placed to determine surgical candidacy. Five independent ictal onset zones were identified. Because she was a poor candidate for epilepsy surgery and had a poor prognosis, the implanted subdural electrodes were used to administer 0.5 Hz stimulations to the ictal onset zones in 30 min trains daily for 7 consecutive days in an attempt to suppress seizures.
Results:
After 1 day of stimulation, one anesthetic agent was successfully discontinued. Seizures only returned by the 4th day when the second anesthetic had been reduced by 60%. Upon returning, seizures arose from only one of the 5 original ictal onset zones. Unfortunately, RSE persisted, and she eventually died.
Conclusions:
In this case of RSE, low frequency stimulation through subdural electrodes transiently suppressed seizures from all but one ictal onset zone and allowed significant reduction in seizure medication.
Significance:
Low frequency cortical stimulation may be useful in suppressing seizures.
