AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute has expanded its advanced neurological care to Kansas City, offering cutting-edge treatments for sleep disorders, dizziness, chronic headaches, and epilepsy—conditions affecting 1 in 5 Americans annually. Led by board-certified neurologist John Croom, MD, PhD, this initiative bridges a critical gap in regional access to specialized care, including FDA-approved therapies like vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for epilepsy and emerging non-invasive neuromodulation for migraines. The move aligns with a 20% rise in neurological disorder diagnoses in the Midwest since 2020, per CDC data.
This development matters because neurological disorders—from treatment-resistant epilepsy to vestibular dysfunction—often lack equitable access to evidence-based interventions. While pharmacotherapies like levetiracetam (Keppra) remain first-line for epilepsy, 30% of patients develop refractory seizures, necessitating devices like VNS or surgical options. Kansas City’s new center fills a void: prior to this, patients faced 60-mile travel to St. Louis for deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy, delaying care by an average of 18 months. The institute’s integration of real-time EEG monitoring (electroencephalography to track brain activity) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for depression—often comorbid with neurological conditions—marks a shift toward personalized neuromodulation.
In Plain English: The Clinical Takeaway
- Who it helps: Patients with epilepsy, chronic migraines, or balance disorders who’ve exhausted standard treatments. If your seizures persist despite medication or your dizziness disrupts daily life, this center may offer alternatives like VNS or vestibular rehabilitation.
- What’s new: Kansas City now has on-site DBS programming (a surgical option for Parkinson’s-like tremors) and non-invasive TMS for depression linked to neurological conditions—both previously unavailable locally.
- Why it’s urgent: Delayed neurological care increases disability risk. For example, untreated vestibular migraines (dizziness triggered by headaches) can lead to chronic falls in 40% of cases, per a 2025 JAMA Neurology study.
How Kansas City’s Neurological Care Gap Mirrors a National Crisis
The AdventHealth expansion addresses a geographic disparity in neurological care: the U.S. Has 1.2 neurologists per 10,000 people, far below the WHO-recommended 3 per 10,000. In Missouri, this ratio drops to 0.8 per 10,000, leaving rural counties with no board-certified epileptologists. The institute’s arrival coincides with a 15% increase in epilepsy diagnoses in the Midwest since 2022, likely due to improved diagnostic tools like ambulatory EEG (wearable brain activity monitors) and genetic testing for epilepsy syndromes.
Locally, the center’s focus on vestibular disorders (balance issues) is timely. The CDC reports that 1 in 3 Americans over 40 experience dizziness annually, yet fewer than 20% receive specialized vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT). AdventHealth’s inclusion of video head impulse testing (vHIT)—a diagnostic tool to assess inner ear function—could reduce misdiagnoses of vertigo as anxiety by up to 30%, per a 2024 Neurology study.
The Science Behind the Treatments: What Patients Aren’t Told
The institute’s arsenal includes three FDA-approved neuromodulation therapies, each with distinct mechanisms of action:
- Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS): A pacemaker-like device implanted in the chest sends electrical pulses to the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to the gut and heart. In double-blind trials, VNS reduced seizures by 40–50% in refractory epilepsy patients (those unresponsive to 2+ medications). The side effect profile includes hoarseness (20%) and coughing (15%), but long-term data shows no increased risk of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS): Electrodes implanted in the thalamus or globus pallidus disrupt abnormal brain signals. For Parkinson’s disease, DBS improves motor symptoms by 55% at 5 years, but 12% of patients experience cognitive decline if electrodes are misplaced. The institute’s real-time MRI-guided programming aims to mitigate this.
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): Non-invasive pulses target the prefrontal cortex to modulate serotonin/dopamine pathways. For treatment-resistant depression (TRD), TMS achieves 30–50% remission rates in 6-week protocols, with a 0.1% risk of seizures—far lower than electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Yet public awareness lags. A 2025 survey by the American Academy of Neurology found that 68% of patients with neurological disorders were unaware of neuromodulation options. This ignorance delays care: the average time from symptom onset to DBS implantation is 7.2 years, per a 2023 Movement Disorders study.
Regulatory and Funding Realities: Who’s Behind the Innovation?
The AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute’s expansion is partially funded by a $20 million grant from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, with additional support from Medtronic plc (manufacturer of DBS devices) and NeuroPace Inc. (VNS systems). While philanthropic funding accelerates access, it raises conflicts-of-interest questions:
—Dr. Emily Chen, PhD, epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
“Device-based therapies like DBS and VNS are cost-effective long-term—reducing hospitalizations by 40% for epilepsy patients—but their upfront costs ($50K–$100K per device) create equity barriers. Missouri’s Medicaid program covers 60% of DBS procedures, but private insurers often deny coverage unless patients fail three medication trials. This policy gap disproportionately affects low-income populations.”
The institute’s clinical trials are Phase IV (post-marketing surveillance), meaning they monitor real-world efficacy and safety. For example, a 2026 study published this week in The Lancet Neurology tracked 1,200 VNS patients over 10 years and found a 22% reduction in psychiatric comorbidities (e.g., depression, anxiety) in epilepsy patients, suggesting the device’s anti-inflammatory effects on the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway may extend beyond seizure control.
| Therapy | Primary Indication | Efficacy (Response Rate) | Major Side Effects | Cost (Per Procedure) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) | Refractory epilepsy | 40–50% seizure reduction | Hoarseness (20%), cough (15%) | $35,000–$50,000 |
| Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) | Parkinson’s disease, dystonia | 55% motor symptom improvement | Cognitive decline (12%), infection (5%) | $80,000–$120,000 |
| Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) | Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) | 30–50% remission | Scalp discomfort (10%), seizures (0.1%) | $12,000–$20,000 (per 6-week course) |
Contraindications & When to Consult a Doctor
Not all patients are candidates for neuromodulation. Absolute contraindications include:
- VNS: History of vagus nerve injury or implanted cardiac devices (risk of interference).
- DBS: Severe brain atrophy (e.g., advanced Alzheimer’s) or active infections (e.g., untreated sinusitis).
- TMS: Metal implants in the head (e.g., aneurysm clips) or history of seizures.
Seek emergency care if you experience:
- Sudden seizure clusters (status epilepticus),
- Focal neurological deficits (e.g., slurred speech, weakness on one side), or
- Persistent vertigo with nausea/vomiting (could indicate stroke or vestibular migraine).
Schedule a neurology consult if:
- Your migraines last 4+ hours/day despite triptans/beta-blockers,
- You’ve had 3+ falls in the past year due to dizziness, or
- Your epilepsy medications no longer control seizures (refractory epilepsy).
The Future: Will This Model Spread?
The Kansas City initiative aligns with a national push for regional neuroscience hubs. The FDA’s 2025 Breakthrough Devices Program fast-tracked closed-loop DBS systems (devices that adjust stimulation in real-time), and the CDC’s 2026 Neurological Disorders Action Plan prioritizes expanding access to neuromodulation. However, three hurdles remain:
- Insurance parity: Only 42 states mandate coverage for DBS/TMS, leaving gaps for Medicaid patients.
- Workforce shortages: The U.S. Needs 1,200 more neurologists to meet demand, per the American Academy of Neurology.
- Long-term data: Most neuromodulation studies lack 10+ year follow-ups on cognitive or psychiatric outcomes.
For now, Kansas City’s center serves as a proof of concept: by integrating diagnostics (EEG/vHIT), therapeutics (VNS/DBS), and mental health (TMS), it mirrors the multidisciplinary approach of top-tier centers like Cleveland Clinic or Mayo Clinic. The key question is whether payors will follow—or if patients will continue to bear the $50K–$100K cost burden of life-changing therapies.
References
- JAMA Neurology (2025): “Vestibular Migraine Misdiagnosis and Fall Risk in Older Adults”
- Neurology (2024): “Video Head Impulse Testing Reduces Vertigo Misdiagnosis by 30%”
- The Lancet Neurology (2026): “Long-Term Psychiatric Benefits of Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Epilepsy”
- CDC (2026): “Neurological Disorders Surveillance Report”
- American Academy of Neurology (2025): “Neurologist Workforce Shortage Analysis”
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a board-certified neurologist for diagnosis and treatment.
