Episode 11: Functional Neurosurgery. A Conversation with Dr. Joseph Neimat

Dr. Maxwell Boakye
November 1, 2021

Functional neurosurgery is a small but growing medical field that has had a major impact on the treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. On this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Joseph Neimat, a brilliant neurosurgeon and clinician-scientist helping lead the charge for greater research and innovation in his field. We discuss the evolution of functional neurosurgery, its future in modern medicine, and ways to optimize it for safer and more successful results.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

Getting to know Dr. Joseph Neimat [1:49]
The progression of functional neurosurgery [6:46]
Technological advancements in the field of functional neurosurgery [12:23]
Functional neurosurgery as a treatment for depression and obesity [16:21]
Taking a deep dive into Dr. Neimat’s research [19:43]
Training the next generation of neuro-innovators [23:38]
The development status of Dr. Neimat’s novel devices [27:53]
Optimizing functional neurosurgery [29:51]

Turning knowledge into progress

The field of functional neurosurgery may be small, but it certainly isn’t new. Its roots go back to Irving S. Cooper in the 1950s who accidentally discovered the role of the basal ganglia in motor control while correcting a surgical mishap on a tremor patient. Fast forward 70 years and things like deep brain stimulation and stereotactic laser ablation are commonplace neurosurgical procedures. So while functional neurosurgery isn’t new, our understanding of how the human brain works has vastly improved, sparking innovations like these and driving the research of surgeons like Dr. Joseph Neimat.

The technology of modern functional neurosurgery

One of the biggest game-changers for functional neurosurgery has been technological innovation. I previously mentioned deep brain stimulation and stereotactic laser ablation as technological mainstays of modern functional neurosurgery, but there are certainly more. Of course, brain computer interfaces are at the top of that list which we covered in previous episodes. Dr. Neimat highlights closed-loop stimulators as the future of functional neurosurgery. They boast the ability to read meaningful signals from the brain and adjust them in real-time Other innovative technology includes focused ultrasounds that can identify potential targets for chronic pain, brain tumors, and epilepsy.

Optimizing the future

The future for any field of medicine rests on its ability to optimize and improve results. The key area of optimization for functional neurosurgery is safety. Dr. Neimat acknowledges these challenges as well as the incremental progress made over the last decade. He believes safety and efficacy will increase dramatically through innovations in imaging, frame technology, and changes to the strategy with which electrodes are placed, most of which can be improved through the AI targeting algorithm that is a part of his research. 70 years in, it feels like the impact of functional neurosurgery is only just being felt. It’s safe to say we will be talking about the progress made in this field for decades to come.