Hope for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Collaboration between Gdańsk Tech, Mayo Clinic and the Wrocław Medical University | Gdańsk University of Technology

Until recently, people with drug-resistant epilepsy in Poland could only hope for highly invasive surgery involving resection of large parts of the brain lobes. Although these procedures reduced seizures, they often led to permanent cognitive impairment and worsened quality of life.

Joanna Włodarczyk experienced her first symptoms of epilepsy when she was three years old. Even as a child, she had up to twenty seizures a day. Medication did not help, and seizures could occur at any time – at school, on the bus or at home. During the most difficult period, she practically never left her flat and suffered from depression.

In October 2022, she underwent a stereo EEG examination with electrode implantation, followed by surgery a month later.

The stereo EEG method involves implanting thin electrodes into the patient's brain, which allows epileptic foci to be precisely localised. This enables neurosurgeons to remove only a small fragment of the tissue, without deep intervention and the risk of damaging brain structures.

From 20 seizures a day to normality

The first surgeries using stereo EEG have already been performed in Poland. The procedures were performed at the University Hospital in Wrocław, and the patients who participated in them experienced a radical improvement in their quality of life. The hospital in Wrocław was the first in Poland to implement this method to diagnose and treat drug-resistant epilepsy.

The cooperation between the clinical teams and a team of scientists from the Gdańsk University of Technology, led by Michał Kucewicz, PhD, Professor at Gdańsk Tech, has already resulted in seven surgeries and laid the foundations for further development of innovative neurostimulation therapies.

“Neurosurgery is the only chance for these patients to return to normal life,” explained Prof. Paweł Tabakow, a neurosurgeon at the Wrocław Medical University. “Epileptic seizures and the effects of medication make it impossible for them to study, work or travel. Patients feel isolated and become depressed.”

Joanna Włodarczyk was one of the first patients to decide to undergo surgery. When she was accepted into the programme, she did not hesitate for a moment, as all previous treatment methods had failed. This is how she describes the change that has taken place in her life:
“I cycle, travel, and my passion is photography. I can finally work professionally, go out, and I have plans and dreams. Until the operation, I didn't know what it was like to live without illness. Now I know – and it is wonderful!”

A new life without surgery

The team from the Gdańsk University of Technology, led by Michał Kucewicz, PhD, Professor at the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, is playing a key role in the development of the next stage of epilepsy treatment, which is based on the analysis and stimulation of brain activity. The project, led in Poland by the Gdańsk University of Technology, is a continuation of the research conducted at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, where Prof. Kucewicz worked on the use of electrodes to improve memory and cognitive functions.

The scientists from the Brain and Mind Electrophysiology Laboratory at Gdańsk Tech analyse neurophysiological data – they ‘decode the brain’ to better understand how brain wave activity arises in neural networks and how it can be modulated. They are also developing stimulation methods that may eliminate the need for surgical tissue removal in the future. 

The research, funded by the National Science Centre, aims to develop technology enabling 23-hour monitoring of brain activity using implanted devices. The Gdańsk Tech team is also developing IT tools for the secure processing and analysis of patient brain data.

“This is another step forward in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy,” explained Prof. Kucewicz. “We hope that thanks to brain stimulation via implanted electrodes, many patients will regain control over their lives. Not only will the number of seizures decrease, but memory, concentration and other cognitive functions will also improve.”

This technology, previously tested at the Mayo Clinic, which is one of the most renowned medical centres in the world, is showing very promising results. Five patients from Poland and five from the Czech Republic will take part in the project, currently carried out by Gdańsk Tech and its foreign partners.

“Such solutions have enormous potential,” added Prof. Kucewicz. “On the one hand, they help patients with epilepsy, and on the other hand, they could become a breakthrough in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.”

Prospects and significance of research

The project developed at the Gdańsk University of Technology is an example of how close cooperation between science and medicine leads to a real improvement in patients' quality of life.
“Joanna and other patients are the best proof that we are witnessing a revolution in the treatment of epilepsy. Every story of returning to normality is the greatest reward for us,” emphasised Prof. Michał Kucewicz.

The collaboration between scientists and doctors is a step towards the medicine of the future, where technology not only saves lives but also restores them to their full potential.