What Can Deep Brain Stimulation Do for My Aging Parent Suffering from Parkinsons Disease?
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure used to treat a variety of disabling neurological symptoms—most commonly the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), such as tremor, rigidity, stiffness, slowed movement, and walking problems. The procedure is also used to treat essential tremor, a common neurological movement disorder. At present, the procedure is used only for patients whose symptoms cannot be adequately controlled with medications. DBS uses a surgically implanted, battery-operated medical device called a neurostimulator—similar to a heart pacemaker and approximately the size of a stopwatch—to deliver electrical stimulation to targeted areas in the brain that control movement, blocking the abnormal nerve signals that cause tremor and PD symptoms.
Related Questions
- Does deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinsons disease affect cognition and behavior?
- Is deep brain stimulation a cure for Parkinsons disease or the other movement disorders discussed above?
- What Can Deep Brain Stimulation Do for My Aging Parent Suffering from Parkinsons Disease?
