Pioneer of Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Comes to Istanbul

The 1st Congress of the Deep Brain Stimulation Society brought together scientists working in the field of brain pacemakers.

The 1st Congress of the Deep Brain Stimulation Society was held on 3–5 January 2025 at Istanbul Atlas University Vadi Campus. The congress was attended by specialists in neurosurgery, neurology, and psychiatry — including Prof. Abdelhamid Benazzouz, one of the pioneers of brain pacemaker surgery and a member of the first team to perform the procedure. The congress addressed the use of the brain pacemaker in a wide range of conditions, including Parkinson's disease, tremor, epilepsy, dystonia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette Syndrome, and severe depression, along with its therapeutic effects.

The congress brought together leading experts in the field. The opening addresses were delivered by Prof. Dr. Ersoy Kocabıçak — President of the National Deep Brain Stimulation Society, Rector of Istanbul Atlas University, and Neurosurgeon — Prof. Dr. Yasin Temel — Head of the Department of Neurosurgery at Maastricht University and Editor of the Journal of Deep Brain Stimulation — and Abdelhamid Benazzouz, President of the International DBS Society.

Benazzouz Presented on the Mechanisms of Action of DBS

The congress opened with a keynote address by Abdelhamid Benazzouz, President of the International DBS Society and one of the pioneers of brain pacemaker surgery who was part of the original team to perform the procedure, on the topic of "DBS mechanisms of action."

The Brain Pacemaker Has Been in Use for Over 30 Years

Prof. Dr. Ersoy Kocabıçak stated that Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), also known as "brain pacemaker surgery", is used in the treatment of many diseases.

Noting that DBS has been an evidence-based and reliable treatment method for Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders for more than 30 years, Prof. Dr. Kocabıçak said: "In subsequent years, its scope of application has not been limited to these conditions alone. Studies have demonstrated its efficacy in certain psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette Syndrome, as well as in epilepsy, and clinical applications in the treatment of these conditions have grown day by day. Today, experimental and clinical studies continue across a broad spectrum — from addiction to major depression, and from Alzheimer's dementia to autism — with promising results being obtained in certain indications."

DBS Will Remain an Important Treatment Option for the Foreseeable Future

Noting that technological advances in MRI and other components of the DBS system over the past 30 years have had a positive impact on the efficacy and reliability of therapy, and that complications are better understood and managed, Prof. Dr. Kocabıçak said: "The criteria for selecting appropriate candidates for treatment have become increasingly clear over time, and post-operative patient management and battery programming have become more refined. As an electrical neuromodulation method, DBS appears set to maintain and strengthen its prominent position in the range of treatment options for the foreseeable future — given the ongoing R&D investment by companies in the field and the relatively slow pace of development of nanoparticle-based or light-based stimulation alternatives."

The Latest Developments in Deep Brain Stimulation Were Discussed

Noting that the National Deep Brain Stimulation Society, established in 2015, organises courses, meetings, and similar activities related to DBS, Prof. Dr. Kocabıçak stated that through these efforts the Society contributes to the exchange of knowledge among all physicians working in the field of DBS and scientists from different disciplines. Prof. Dr. Kocabıçak expressed that the 1st Congress of the Deep Brain Stimulation Society represented an important opportunity to address the latest research and developments in the field, saying: "At the congress, we brought together leading scientists from around the world and from our country to discuss the most current advances in deep brain stimulation."