MedLink Neurology Podcast is delighted to feature selected episodes from BrainWaves, courtesy of James E Siegler MD, its originator and host. BrainWaves is an academic audio podcast whose mission is to educate medical providers through clinical cases and topical reviews in neurology, medicine, and the humanities, and episodes originally aired from 2016 to 2021.   Originally released: November 30, 2017   Last week was all about how destroying bad brain can help patients with epilepsy. This week, in a stimulating discussion with Dr. Becker, we're reviewing the ways we can activate the nervous system in order to prevent future seizures: the vagus nerve stimulator, deep brain stimulation, and the responsive neurostimulation system.   Produced by James E Siegler. Music by Chris Zabriskie, Josh Woodward, and Kevin McLeod. Voiceover by Erika Mejia. BrainWaves' podcasts and online content are intended for medical education only and should not be used for clinical decision-making.   REFERENCES   A randomized controlled trial of chronic vagus nerve stimulation for treatment of medically intractable seizures. The Vagus Nerve Stimulation Study Group. Neurology 1995;45(2):224-30. PMID 7854516 Ben-Menachem E. Vagus-nerve stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy. Lancet Neurol 2002;1(8):477-82. PMID 12849332 DeGiorgio CM, Krahl SE. Neurostimulation for drug-resistant epilepsy. Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2013;19(3 Epilepsy):743-55. PMID 23739108 Fisher R, Salanova V, Witt T, et al. Electrical stimulation of the anterior nucleus of thalamus for treatment of refractory epilepsy. Epilepsia 2010;51(5):899-908. PMID 20331461 Handforth A, DeGiorgio CM, Schachter SC, et al. Vagus nerve stimulation therapy for partial-onset seizures: a randomized active-control trial. Neurology 1998;51(1):48-55. PMID 9674777 Lanska DJ. JL Corning and vagal nerve stimulation for seizures in the 1880s. Neurology 2002;58(3):452-9. PMID 11839848 Morrell MJ; RNS System in Epilepsy Study Group. Responsive cortical stimulation for the treatment of medically intractable partial epilepsy. Neurology 2011;77(13):1295-304. PMID 21917777 Morris GL 3rd, Gloss D, Buchhalter J, Mack KJ, Nickels K, Harden C. Evidence-based guideline update: vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy: report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology 2013;81(16):1453-9. PMID 23986299 Penry JK, Dean JC. Prevention of intractable partial seizures by intermittent vagal stimulation in humans: preliminary results. Epilepsia 1990;31 Suppl 2:S40-3. PMID 2121469 Yuan H, Silberstein SD. Vagus nerve and vagus nerve stimulation, a comprehensive review: Part II. Headache 2016;56(2):259-66. PMID 26381725     We believe that the principles expressed or implied in the podcast remain valid, but certain details may be superseded by evolving knowledge since the episode’s original release date.