Dr. Nir Lipsman shares insight on groundbreaking study with BBC News
An innovative study by Sunnybrook researchers investigating the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment-resistant alcohol use disorder has been capturing headlines around the Canada and around the world, including a BBC News online article.
Dr. Nir Lipsman, principal investigator in the study and the director of Sunnybrook’s Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, and his team, have also been featured on national network television, and on international radio stations for in-depth interviews about the North American first trial.
Coverage has featured the journey of the first participant in the study, Dr. Frank Plummer, a prominent Canadian researcher, known for his work in Kenya during the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Dr. Lipsman explains to the BBC, "We need to change the way we view addiction, change the way we view alcohol use disorder as a condition in its advanced stages, in the treatment resistant stages as being driven by circuits in the brain that are not functioning properly.” Dr. Lipsman adds, “It’s really about viewing this as part of a larger strategy to treat what is an incredibly complex and challenging condition.”
