Seizure control by mesothalamic reticular stimulation.

A 53 year old woman with chronic back pain and headaches also was considered to have a reticular formation generated "absence status." Both the chronic pain and the absence status were relieved by electrical stimulation in the mesothalamic reticular formation. The various psychologic and physiologic factors contributing to the patient's illness were analyzed and presented to demonstrate the progression of the illness. The discussion considers electrical "mini-discharges" in the reticular formation as the generator of the absence status and associated chronic pain. Therapeutic reticular stimulation electrically "jams" the reticular "mini-discharge" generator and thereby alleviates the absence attacks and pain.