A Device Developed to Treat Neurological Diseases with Electrical Stimulation
Dr. Güven Akçay, a faculty member in the Faculty of Medicine, has launched a study to offer drug-free treatment for neurological diseases.
With the contributions of Prof. Dr. Mehmet Fatih Işık, a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Dr. Serkan Dişlitaş, a faculty member in our Department of Computer Engineering, a device has been designed that will treat patients without the toxic doses and side effects of medications.
Developed at a much lower budget than its equivalents produced abroad, the device will be used to treat neurological disorders by sending current to the brain without requiring surgery.
Akçay explained that the device they developed operates on the principle of delivering electrical stimulation to the brain. He said, "When we compare this treatment method to other treatment methods, for example, while medications can cause toxic doses or side effects, this treatment method has almost no side effects compared to others and is more effective. Preclinical studies of the treatment method developed with the device our team has completed. Now, we aim to apply our clinical studies, particularly in patients with epilepsy and neuropathic disorders, with Sinan Eliaçık, a faculty member at Hitit University Faculty of Medicine."
"We can produce the device at a cost 50 times less than abroad."
Akçay emphasized that they succeeded in developing the device, which has equivalents abroad, using domestic resources. He said, "Devices produced abroad cost an average of $30,000 in Türkiye, while domestically produced devices cost $5,000-6,000. However, we can produce the device at a cost 50 times less than abroad. We developed the device differently. Instead of delivering a constant current, we measure the electrical resistance in the brain and head resistance, then deliver the actual electrical value appropriate to this resistance—what we might call the effective drug in the treatment—and modulate the brain to treat our patients. This way, by delivering an individualized electrical stimulus, rather than a fixed treatment, we target the treatment. This allows us to further increase the effectiveness of the treatment."
