Abstracts

Rationale: The first published report of electrical treatment of epilepsy was of a patient, CB, who was treated by Benjamin Franklin in 1752. About 30% of epilepsy patients remain intractable to antiepileptic medications. And despite the use of epilepsy surgery there still remains a significant number of patients who need other forms of treatment. It is in this context that electrical stimulation is being evaluated with renewed interest. It is thus of value to review how this was used for the treatment of epilepsy in the era before antiepileptic medications became the mainstay for the treatment of epilepsy.Methods: Extensive review of the published medical literature from 1752 to 1946.Results: The use of electrical stimulation in the treatment of epileptic seizures extends as far back as Benjamin Franklin’s treatment of an epileptic with electricity in 1752. An extensive review of literature beginning with Franklin’s work and continuing through the mid-20th century revealed the efficacy of electrical stimulation in epilepsy. A total of 68 cases were found where electrical stimulation was used for the treatment of epilepsy, during this time period. Of the 50 cases reporting gender, 6 were female and 44 were male. Only 10 cases reported age, with a range of 13-42 years and mean of 25 years. Fifty-six (82.35%) of the cases had a reduction in their seizure frequency, 11(16.2%) had no benefit and one had worsening of his seizures. 4 patients became seizure free. Other positive effects mentioned included improved mental status and mood, less aggression and improvement in sleep. In 61 cases the current was applied to the cranium and in 7 cases it was applied to the spine. Use of both galvanic and faradic current has been reported in the literature.Conclusions: The use of electrical stimulation in treating epileptic seizures has been reported since the time of the discovery of electricity, first case treated by Benjamin Franklin. It is also evident that it was found to be effective in the treatment of epilepsy and there are reports of it being used right till the mid 20th century. A form of this therapy then was used only in Psychiatric Disorders. But the interest in the use of electrical stimulation in the treatment of epilepsy has been renewed in recent times due to a need for other forms of treatment for intractable epilepsy.