The human nervous system is composed of billions of nerve cells organized into networks of enormous complexity. When these networks malfunction, the result is neurological illness, including tremor, epilepsy, depression, and central pain. These functional disorders account for more worldwide disability than cancer, heart disease, or HIV. Functional neurosurgeons use precision surgery and novel technologies to treat these network disorders to restore neurological health. Our neurosurgical procedures involve intraoperative testing to define the function of nervous system regions (functional mapping), knocking out small groups of nerve cells that produce or transmit abnormal signals (neuroablation), or placing brain or spinal pacemakers to tune nerve signaling (neuromodulation).
With world-recognized expertise in the clinical neurosciences, the basic neurosciences, neuroimaging, and neuroengineering, Michigan Medicine is a leader in clinical functional neurosurgery and restorative neuroengineering. Clinical program areas in Functional Neurosurgery include:
- Cancer Pain
- Epilepsy
- Pain Neuromodulation
- Spasticity
- Surgical Therapies to Improve Movement (STIM)
- Trigeminal Neuralgia and Facial Pain
Physicians/Providers
Kevin Chen, M.D.
Parag G. Patil, M.D., Ph.D.
Oren Sagher, M.D.
Ericka Brunson-Gillespie, D.N.P., N.P.
