BrainSense: A New View Inside the Brain

Why Brain Activity Tracking Matters

Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is a therapy used to treat conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. It works by sending electrical pulses to specific areas of the brain to help manage symptoms.

Traditionally, DBS settings are adjusted during clinic visits based on patient feedback and short observations. However, brain activity changes throughout the day. Medication cycles, movement, stress, and sleep all affect how the brain behaves. Without continuous data, it can be difficult to fine-tune therapy for these changes.

BrainSense was developed to address this limitation by providing access to real brain signals during daily life, not just during appointments.

What BrainSense Does

BrainSense is a sensing feature built into certain deep-brain stimulation systems. It allows the implanted leads to record small electrical signals from the brain while stimulation is being delivered.

These signals, known as local field potentials, reflect patterns of neural activity linked to symptoms and movement. By collecting this information, BrainSense provides objective data that can be used alongside patient-reported experiences.

How the Technology Works

The same electrodes used to deliver stimulation also collect brain signals. This means no additional implants are required. The system records activity continuously or at specific times, depending on its configuration.

Clinicians can review this data using programming tools. They can compare brain activity with symptom changes, medication timing, or daily routines. This helps inform decisions about stimulation settings.

Adaptive Stimulation in Practice

BrainSense enables a form of therapy called adaptive deep-brain stimulation. In this mode, stimulation can change automatically in response to detected brain signals.

When certain patterns linked to symptoms increase, stimulation can rise. When those patterns decrease, stimulation can be reduced. This approach aims to provide more consistent symptom control throughout the day without constant manual adjustment.

Using Data to Personalize Care

With BrainSense, clinicians can identify which electrode contacts produce the most useful brain signals. This helps during initial setup and later adjustments.

Instead of relying only on short clinical assessments, therapy decisions can be supported by data collected during real-world activity. Over time, this can lead to more personalized and responsive care plans.

Where BrainSense Fits in Treatment

BrainSense is not a standalone therapy. It enhances existing deep-brain stimulation systems by adding a layer of brain signal monitoring.

It is used in approved DBS treatments for neurological conditions, according to regional guidelines and indications. Its role is to support ongoing therapy optimization as symptoms and brain activity evolve.