Program:
Barrow Center for Neuromodulation
- Budget:
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$21,000,000
- Category:
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Medical Research
- Population Served:
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Mentally/Emotionally Disabled
Program Description:
The Barrow Center for Neuromodulation will explore promising new approaches to treating depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain, and other brain disorders. These disorders not only destroy lives and families, but also take a heavy financial toll on society.
The Center will focus initially on deep brain stimulation (DBS), which has been used since the late 1980s to reduce the tremors, stiffness, and uncontrollable movements of Parkinson’s disease. More than 50,000 people with difficult-to-treat Parkinson’s disease have been implanted with a DBS device, and the results are amazing. By delivering short pulses of electricity to the brain, DBS significantly reduces symptoms and greatly improves patients’ quality of life.
The Barrow Center for Neuromodulation will explore the potential of DBS to deliver similar results to people suffering from other devastating brain disorders. Early research into the use of DBS for severe depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, for instance, is very encouraging, and DBS may open new doors in the field of neuroscience.
The Barrow Center for Neuromodulation will conduct research into the use of DBS with a goal of expanding the use of this remarkable new therapy. The Center will also will also increase access to DBS services for conditions currently approved by the FDA, including treatment-resistant Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and essential tremor.
Other types of neuromodulation, including transcranial magnetic stumulation and low frequency ultrasonic therapy, will be explored at the Center.
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Program:
Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center
- Budget:
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$17,000,000
- Category:
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Medical Research
- Population Served:
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Other Named Groups
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Adults
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Children and Youth (infants - 19 years.)
Program Description:
The Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center will take advantage of Barrow’s expertise in imaging, surgery, research, and stem-cell science to pursue breakthroughs in the field of neuro-oncology. It is a sad fact that the life expectancy of adults diagnosed with a glioma, the most serious type of brain tumor, has remained at 9-12 months since the 1970s. Barrow is in a unique position—given the number of brain tumor patients we see, our broad range of cancer experts, and our current leadership in this area—to build a research center dedicated to making scientific discoveries in the lab that can be quickly applied to patient care.
The Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center will establish five independent laboratories investigating distinct yet interrelated mechanisms of brain tumors. A team of scientists will work in each lab and will collaborate with physicians to identify and test new ideas for diagnosing and treating brain tumors. Barrow patients will benefit by having access to promising new clinical trials and, ultimately, improved outcomes.
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Program:
Neurosciences Research Center
- Budget:
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$6,000,000
- Category:
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Medical Research
- Population Served:
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General Public/Unspecified
Program Description:
Innovative bench and clinical research at Barrow Neurological Institute is extending our knowledge of the brain and spinal cord and developing new treatments for better patient outcomes. Barrow conducts a wide range of translational research on such diseases and disorders as brain trauma, movement disorders, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, macular degeneration, and aneurysms.
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