Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy Helps Parkinson’s Patients

Washington (dbTechno) - A new study has revealed that something known as deep brain stimulation can greatly help patients who are trying to live with Parkinson’s disease.

The idea behind deep brain stimulation is to implant a device into the brain that can stimulate it and keep it active.

The device is thought of as something similar to a pacemaker in the heart, keeping normal functioning at all times.

The implants are placed into the subthalamic nucleus, or the globus pallidus areas of the brain.  Dopamine-producing nerve cells are also implanted.

The study was led by Frances Weaver of the Center for Management of Chronic Complex Care, as they tested out the therapy on Parkinson’s patients.

What they found was that those treated with this type of therapy were able to have big improvements in their quality of life.

They showed improvements in movement as well as other functions after just six months.

The improvements were said to be leaps and bounds over what was achieved with regular medication.

The only downside was that the therapy was linked to an increased risk of depression, heart problems, among other things.

The study has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.