Modulation of paroxysmal activity in focal cortical dysplasia by centromedian thalamic nucleus stimulation

Stimulation of the centromedian thalamic nucleus (CM) was performed during presurgical depth recordings in a patient with drug-resistant partial epilepsy related to premotor focal cortical dysplasia. Low- and high-frequency stimulation of the ipsilateral CM reproducibly suppressed the interictal spikes and fast rhythms. This is the first time that the effects of CM stimulation on interictal focal paroxysmal activity have been observed in humans using depth recordings. These results need further confirmation, but suggest that the CM is a worthwhile stimulation target for alternative treatment in selected cases of drug-resistant nonsurgical epilepsy.