PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS

5th May 2010 - New research

THE EFFICACY OF DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION

Lancet Neurology [2010] Apr 28. [Epub ahead of print] (A.Williams, S.Gill, T.Varma, C.Jenkinson, N.Quinn, R.Mitchell, R.Scott, N.Ives, C.Rick, J.Daniels, S.Patel, K.Wheatley)   Complete abstract
                                                                                                                                                                                
Researchers assessed whether Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) and best medical therapy improved the quality of life more than the best medical therapy alone in people with advanced Parkinson's Disease. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) involves the use of electrodes that are implanted into the brain and connected to a small electrical device called a pulse generator that can be externally programmed. For more information go to Deep brain stimulation. Best medical therapy usually means only the use of Parkinson's Disease drugs instead. After a year, there was improvement in those people that had also undergone Deep Brain Stimulation, but there was no improvement in people taking only Parkinson's Disease drugs. Those people who had also undergone DBS fared better regarding mobility, in the activities of daily living, and feelings of bodily discomfort. DBS made no difference in any other respect.  Nearly 20% of of those patients who underwent DBS had serious surgery-related adverse events.  For more current news go to Parkinson's Disease News.

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Parkinson's Disease News details all significant new research, news reports, new books, and new resources concerning Parkinson's Disease and those medical disorders that often coincide with Parkinson's Disease. It is compiled from an analysis of  all newly published research, news reports, new clinical trials, all newly published books, and new web sites. A summary and analysis of the new research are provided,  as well as links to the complete abstracts and news reports