June 13, 2020

Brain Pacemaker Implanted to Treat Alzheimer’s

A brain pacemaker is a medical device implanted into the brain to stimulate the nervous tissues with electric signals. These pacemakers are being used widely to provide treatment to the patients having neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and others. Other than giving stimulation to the brain, pacemakers also play an essential role in stimulating the spinal cord. Brain pacemakers have been found to offer a safe and effective procedure that provides symptomatic relief to patients.

Rise in prevalence of neurological disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Epilepsy, across the world, and high rate of diagnosis and treatment of frontotemporal dementia, and other neuro-stimulation diseases are the critical factors driving the brain pacemaker market globally in the study period.

Download sample PDF Brochure of Study, Click Here

Image Credit: alzheimers.org.uk

A brain pacemaker is an electrical device, which stimulates an electrical beat to the heart if there is an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). It is an electrical machine (also known as wireless artifact-free neuromodulation device), which sends electrical stimulation if there is an irregular electrical activity in the brain. The device is autonomous and wireless, which means once the device learns to identify the signs of seizures (or other improper electrical activities in the brain), it can regulate the stimulation parameters on its own to resist the irregular electrical movements of the brain.

Also, the device is closed-loop and can deliver electrical signal and record electrical activities of the brain simultaneously and regulate the stimulation parameters in real-time. Customized integrated circuits in the device can record the full message from the brain waves and electrical pulses. Additionally, the device can record electrical activities of the brain over 128 channels or from 128 points located in the brain, while other closed-loop systems can measure electrical activities of the brain over eight channels.

Key Trends

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 1.3% of the population of the U.S. suffered from active epilepsy, and 0.02% of the population was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017.
  • The cost for devices and surgery can range from $35,000 to $100,000 and is typically covered by private insurance and Medicare because of FDA approval in developed countries.
  • The FDA has been working with neurological device manufacturers and professional societies such as NeuroPoint Alliance and NIH (Stroke Net) to facilitate the development of robust registries that will help with post market surveillance.
  • This system, with the Vercise Cartesia Directional Lead, is designed to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease by delivering the specific targeted electrical stimulation in the brain to provide optimal symptom relief and better control of unwanted side effects

Followings are the key companies operating in this research are Abbott, ALEVA NEUROTHERAPEUTICS SA, Beijing PINS Medical Co., Ltd., Boston Scientific Corporation, INNOVATIVE NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES, LivaNova PLC, Medtronic, NeuroPace, Inc., Nexeon MedSystems Inc., Zynex Medical

Source: The Insight Partners