Stimulating Brains

Andreas Horn
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  • NATURAL SCIENCES

Andreas Horn interviews experts in the field of deep brain stimulation, noninvasive neuromodulation, functional brain imaging and neuroanatomy. Join us on our quest to interact with the human brain and thank you for your interest in science! Andreas Horn, M.D., Ph.D., directs the institute for network stimulation and is a professor for computational neurology at University Cologne.

  1. #73: Eyal Zadicario – Beyond the Scalpel: Towards an Acoustic Neurosurgical Suite with Insightec

    10/11/2025

    #73: Eyal Zadicario – Beyond the Scalpel: Towards an Acoustic Neurosurgical Suite with Insightec

    In this episode of Stimulating Brains, we sit down with Dr. Eyal Zadicario, Chief Operating Officer at Insightec, to explore the remarkable evolution of focused ultrasound – from its experimental origins to its transformative role in functional neurosurgery today. Dr. Zadicario shares insights from over two decades at the forefront of innovation, reflecting on the challenges of translating breakthroughs from academia to industry, designing clinician-friendly systems that prioritize the patient experience, and overcoming skepticism toward disruptive technologies. Together, we revisit key milestones – from the first MRgFUS based thalamotomy in 2008 and early applications in breast cancer, to the expanding frontiers of neuromodulation. Looking ahead, we discuss the exciting possibilities of blood brain barrier opening, the acoustic neurosurgical suite, and even brain mapping through focused sound. Tune in for a fascinating conversation on how precision acoustics are reshaping the landscape of brain therapy and beyond.

    1h 45m
  2. #72: John Rolston — Closed-Loop Stimulation, Seizure Dynamics, and the New Frontiers of Epilepsy Treatment

    01/08/2025

    #72: John Rolston — Closed-Loop Stimulation, Seizure Dynamics, and the New Frontiers of Epilepsy Treatment

    Today, we had the privilege of speaking with Dr. John Rolston, a leading voice at the intersection of neurosurgery, epilepsy, and brain stimulation. Dr. Rolston is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Epilepsy Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. His pioneering work bridges clinical neurosurgery and computational neuroscience, focusing on how electrical stimulation can modulate dysfunctional brain networks to treat epilepsy, movement disorders, and disorders of consciousness. In this episode, we explored the complexities of neuromodulation—what makes stimulation effective, why patient-specific targeting matters, and how brain states influence therapeutic outcomes. Dr. Rolston also shared his lab’s work on traveling waves in the brain and how these insights are transforming seizure localization and surgical decision-making. From closed-loop stimulation to stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Rolston walks us through the evolving landscape of functional neurosurgery and its future.

    1h 23m
  3. #71: Harold Sackeim - The founding editor of Brain Stimulation and a founding figure in modern electroconvulsive therapy

    24/04/2025

    #71: Harold Sackeim - The founding editor of Brain Stimulation and a founding figure in modern electroconvulsive therapy

    Today we had the privilege of speaking with a true pioneer in the field of neuropsychiatry and brain stimulation— Dr. Harold Sackeim. Dr. Sackeim is perhaps best known for his extensive research on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but his contributions span a wide range of topics from treatment-resistant depression to the placebo effect in neurostimulation. As a founding figure in modern ECT research, he has played a central role in shaping both the science and the clinical practice of brain stimulation therapies. In this episode, we explored the history and future of ECT, the controversies surrounding it, and Dr. Sackeim’s insights on the direction of neuromodulation. He explains how ECT has long been the most effective treatment for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While once overlooked in favor of medication, we now know that both the placement and intensity of stimulation are key—challenging the old belief that seizures alone drive its effects.

    2h 2m
  4. #70: Rees Cosgrove – When Neurosurgery Chooses You: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Lesions and the Future of Brain Stimulation

    22/04/2025

    #70: Rees Cosgrove – When Neurosurgery Chooses You: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Lesions and the Future of Brain Stimulation

    In this episode, we journey through the remarkable career of Dr. Rees Cosgrove—a trailblazer in functional neurosurgery, Director of Epilepsy and Functional Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Cosgrove reflects on his formative years training in the very halls that were roamed by legends such as Wilder Penfield at the Montreal Neurological Institute, and takes us through pivotal chapters of his career leading programs at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brown University, and now the Brigham. With a repertoire that spans from the golden era of ablative neurosurgery to modern deep brain stimulation and MR-guided focused ultrasound—where he has performed over 600 sonications—Dr. Cosgrove provides a unique perspective on how the field has transformed over the past several decades. Throughout the conversation, we delve into the history and resurgence of surgical lesions for psychiatric and neurological conditions, the nuances of neuromodulation technologies, and the evolution of imaging that now defines precision in brain surgery. Dr. Cosgrove also shares his views on mentorship, the transmission of surgical wisdom, and how we can preserve the disappearing art of lesioning in an age increasingly dominated by stimulation. Whether you're a neurosurgeon, neuroscientist, or simply curious about how we interface with the brain to treat disease, this episode is a rare and insightful look into the mind of one of the field’s most experienced and thoughtful pioneers.

    1h 50m
  5. #69: Terence Sanger – Pushing Boundaries in Pediatric DBS: From Multi-Electrode Stimulation to Closed-Loop Strategies

    27/03/2025

    #69: Terence Sanger – Pushing Boundaries in Pediatric DBS: From Multi-Electrode Stimulation to Closed-Loop Strategies

    In this episode we will dive deep into the minds of leading researchers and clinicians in the field of neuromodulation. Today, we are thrilled to have Dr. Terry Sanger with us. Dr. Sanger is a renowned pediatric neurologist, engineer, and Chief Scientific Officer at CHOC, where he focuses on improving the lives of children with movement disorders—especially dystonia. He’s well known for combining deep computational approaches with cutting-edge neuromodulation techniques. In this episode, we’ll uncover how his background in engineering, neuroscience, and clinical practice converges to shape new possibilities for treating complex movement disorders in children. From pioneering multi-electrode deep brain stimulation for pediatric dystonia to his latest forays in closed-loop stimulation research, Dr. Sanger is truly expanding the boundaries of what’s possible in pediatric care.

    1h 47m
  6. #68: Todd Herrington – The Future of Neuromodulation: Insights from the ADAPT PD Trial and Beyond

    18/03/2025

    #68: Todd Herrington – The Future of Neuromodulation: Insights from the ADAPT PD Trial and Beyond

    In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Todd Herrington, a leading neurologist and director of the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Herrington specializes in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, tremor, and dystonia, and his research focuses on the motor, cognitive, and psychiatric effects of DBS, leveraging intraoperative and noninvasive neurophysiology and neuroimaging to advance neuromodulation therapies. Today, we’ll explore his key role in the ADAPT PD trial, a groundbreaking multicenter study evaluating the safety and efficacy of adaptive DBS for Parkinson’s disease. This trial, led by Dr. Helen Brontë-Stewart at Stanford, introduced a neurostimulator capable of sensing local field potentials and dynamically adjusting stimulation in real time based on a patient’s brain activity. We’ll discuss how this technology represents a shift toward personalized DBS therapy and what it means for the future of neuromodulation. In the second part of our conversation, we’ll delve into broader topics, including the mechanism of action of DBS, novel neuromodulation approaches, and the potential role of stem cell therapy in movement disorders. Dr. Herrington shares his expert insights on how these advancements shape both our scientific understanding and the clinical application of DBS. From improving motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease to pioneering adaptive neurostimulation, his work is at the forefront of innovation in the field.

    1h 41m
  7. #67: Jonathan Downar – TMS for Depression: Towards a One-Day protocol

    03/03/2025

    #67: Jonathan Downar – TMS for Depression: Towards a One-Day protocol

    In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jonathan Downar, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist based in Toronto, renowned for his pioneering research in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for depression. You may recognize him from his landmark work on the Three-D Trial, which helped establish intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) as a rapid and effective alternative to standard repetitive TMS. Recently, Jonathan has been pushing the boundaries of TMS with accelerated treatment protocols, including the One-D Study, which tested the feasibility of delivering an entire TMS course in a single day. In our conversation, we explore his scientific journey, the future of brain stimulation, and his bold approach to innovation—what he calls “TMS in SpaceX mode.” We also discuss the vision for achieving a billion depression patient remissions in our lifetime. Tune in for an inspiring and insightful discussion with one of the leaders in neuromodulation research.

    1h 25m
  8. #66: Roxanne Lofredi – Striatal recordings and the stopping triangle: How DBS advances our clinical and neuroscientific knowledge

    03/01/2025

    #66: Roxanne Lofredi – Striatal recordings and the stopping triangle: How DBS advances our clinical and neuroscientific knowledge

    In this episode, we have a privilege to talk with Dr. Roxanne Lofredi, a prominent researcher investigating movement disorders and deep brain stimulation (DBS). Dr. Lofredi is based at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and is widely recognized for her groundbreaking contributions to understanding how basal ganglia networks drive motor symptoms in conditions such as dystonia and Parkinson’s disease. Today, we’ll explore two fascinating studies led by Dr. Lofredi. The first focuses on how subthalamic nucleus stimulation impairs stopping of ongoing movements in Parkinson’s disease. This work, published in Brain, was inspired by a foundational basic science study from Aron and Poldrack (2006), which first implicated the subthalamic nucleus as a critical node for motor inhibition within the hyperdirect pathway of the basal ganglia. We’ll discuss how these findings translated to her DBS study and how they may impact DBS therapy. The second part of our conversation will cover her recent publication in Nature Communications, where Dr. Lofredi and her team demonstrate a clear link between striato-pallidal oscillatory connectivity and symptom severity in dystonia. This work highlights the pathophysiological role of the direct pathway within the basal ganglia and opens up new possibilities for targeted therapeutic approaches. In conclusion, Dr. Lofredi shares key insights from her research, bridging the gap between basic neuroscience and clinical application. From understanding motor inhibition in Parkinson's disease to exploring striato-pallidal connectivity in dystonia, her work advances our knowledge and paves the way for more effective DBS therapies.

    1h 27m
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About

Andreas Horn interviews experts in the field of deep brain stimulation, noninvasive neuromodulation, functional brain imaging and neuroanatomy. Join us on our quest to interact with the human brain and thank you for your interest in science! Andreas Horn, M.D., Ph.D., directs the institute for network stimulation and is a professor for computational neurology at University Cologne.

Information

  • Creator
    Andreas Horn
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Andreas Horn
  • Show Website
    Stimulating Brains