In 2012, Colonial commenced a partnership with the Bionics Institute that will see the Foundation committing a substantial amount over a six-year period. Colonial’s funding has been instrumental in enabling a more rapid progression of the development of an advanced deep brain stimulation (DBS) device to safely and effectively treat people who have severe and intractable neurological or psychiatric conditions. DBS delivers targeted electrical impulses to the brain through surgically implanted electrodes and has been an approved treatment to control debilitating tremor in people with advanced Parkinson’s disease for over a decade. Current funding from Colonial is allowing the Institute to complete the development of its DBS device, including clinical trials to develop and refine adaptive brain stimulation techniques, as well as studies to improve the design of deep brain electrodes.
