Description

This small implantable Deep Brain Stimulation Implantable Pulse Generator is a relatively new piece of technology used in the treatment of various neurological conditions. This object was displayed in the co-curated gallery trail "Nothing Without Us: Experiences of Disability" at the Pitt Rivers Museum, curated by Kyle Lewis Jordan, running from 16th November 2023 - 6th October 2024.

An implantable pulse generator uses similar technology to a cardiac pacemaker, consisting of a battery, microprocessor, wireless antenna, and electrodes; but instead of stimulating the heart, it delivers pulses of electricity to electrodes implanted deep in the brain, thereby treating a range of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Deep brain stimulation is most commonly used to treat movement disorders such as Parkinson's, essential tremor, and dystonia, though it's gradually seeing increasing use for depression, OCD, and various other diseases.

Typically the IPG is located under the skin of a patient's chest, with wires running subcutaneously to the skull, where they pass through the bone via a hole made in a manner not entirely dissimilar to trepanation. The wires end in a series of tiny electrodes that deliver the current to precisely targeted brain regions, with surgeons deciding before the operation where exactly to place the electrodes based on the patient's condition and individual variations in anatomy.

This specific device was explanted from a Parkinsonian patient circa 2011; the limited battery life on older designs like this one necessitates replacement every few years (newer models are commonly rechargeable and thus last considerably longer).

Community curation: Implanted in the body with wires that are connected to specific centres of the brain, this tiny device assists with the treatment of neurological conditions with electrical impulses. An expression of modern innovation, at the same time it captures how much of our brains are still a mystery to us. While this device may have many advantages over the older trepanning tools, it shares that same sense of fascination and anxiety of the unknown, for both patient and surgeon. - Laurie P.