Artificial Intelligence > The Pathfinder

The Pathfinder

By Alison Caldwell, Ph.D. Photography by Paul Flessland

Brian Lundstrom, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of neurology, brings a distinctive and, in many ways, quietly radical perspective to BIONIC. His vision centers on noninvasive neuromodulation as a path toward durable disease modification and, in some cases, cure, rather than lifelong symptom management.

With a background in biophysics, Dr. Lundstrom found his scientific calling in neurophysiology and studying the neural code — how neurons compute and encode signals. He became interested in working with patients with epilepsy, who routinely have their neural activity recorded to better understand the underlying disease. Because of this, epilepsy provides a unique opportunity to understand and improve neurological function for many disorders.

Ultimately, Dr. Lundstrom had a deep scientific goal: developing objective ways to measure brain excitability and function. With that foundation, clinicians could personalize brain stimulation, predict how patients will respond and intentionally drive long-term care.

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This led him to his clinical focus on the use of neural stimulation to treat epilepsy — both invasive (using implanted electrodes) and noninvasive (through external or wearable devices). And it’s through noninvasive therapies, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), that he sees opportunities to change the field.

“I’ve treated patients with epilepsy who undergo repeated stimulation, both invasive and noninvasive, and see a lasting reduction in their seizures, even after treatment has stopped,” says Dr. Lundstrom. “This is likely because our brains are highly plastic and can relearn healthier patterns of activity over time given optimal stimulation.”

What makes a noninvasive approach so compelling is its lower risk, with a lower barrier to access. “Patients must undergo surgery for an implanted device, and these are typically offered as a ‘last resort,’ when other treatment options have failed,” says Dr. Lundstrom. “But external stimulation is much lower risk and provides an opportunity to intervene much earlier in the disease course.”

[BIONIC supports a future] where we’re not only building more sophisticated devices, but these devices are more accessible, reaching more people and redefining how we think about neurological care.
— Brian Lundstrom, M.D., Ph.D.

These devices can be used outside of a hospital setting. Already some patients receive home-based stimulation for 20-30 minutes a day, several days a week, guided by their clinicians. In addition to epilepsy, these approaches can help with mood disorders, pain, tinnitus and even mild cognitive impairment, improving access to therapy across geographical barriers.

And Mayo Clinic is uniquely positioned to lead in this new arena because of its primary value: The needs of the patient come first.

“These noninvasive technologies attract less attention from commercial investment because they can be harder to monetize,” says Dr. Lundstrom. "But at Mayo Clinic, we are focused on what benefits our patients the most. And BIONIC exemplifies that, by supporting a future where we’re not only building more sophisticated devices, but these devices are more accessible, reaching more people and redefining how we think about neurological care.”