Neuromodulation for Hypothalamic Obesity

The balance between hunger and satiety is imperative for an individual's survival and overall health.). Without this balance, individuals can become morbidly obese or lack adequate nutrition for survival. Craniopharyngioma (CP) is a benign tumour that occurs at the base of the brain in children. Unfortunately, pediatric neurosurgeons sometimes inadvertently destroy a child's satiety centre during CP tumour removal surgery. This leaves the child with a post-operative complication: an insatiable appetite. This form of obesity is called "hypothalamic obesity". This study is designed to investigate Deep Brain Stimulation for hypothalamic obesity in n=6 young adults who have stabilized tumours.