Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects millions of people worldwide. While traditional treatments can help manage symptoms, recent medical innovations, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), offer promising prospects for improving patients' quality of life.
What is Deep brain stimulation (DBS)?
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical technique in which electrodes are implanted in specific areas of the brain. These electrodes deliver electrical impulses to modulate neuronal activity to reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Developed in the 1980s, DBS is now recognized as an effective alternative for patients who no longer respond adequately to medication. Unlike traditional treatments, it acts directly on dysfunctional brain circuits, providing a more targeted and sustained approach.
Limitations of Deep Brain Stimulation
DBS does not stop the progression of Parkinson's disease. Some symptoms, especially axial symptoms, continue to worsen despite stimulation. These symptoms include:
- Balance problems and falls.
- Freezing (sudden blocking while walking).
- Speech and swallowing problems.
- Urinary incontinence.
In addition, cognitive problems may develop or worsen over time, limiting the benefits of DBS for some patients.
Benefits of DBS
Despite its limitations, DBS significantly improves patients' quality of life. One year after the procedure, patients report about a 60% improvement in their daily activities. Here are some of the results observed for motor symptoms:
- Tremor: 80% reduction
- Muscle rigidity: 67% improvement
- Difficulty initiating movement (akinesia): 56% improvement
- Walking: 55% improvement
- Duration of daily motor blocks 73
Patients also report an improvement in sleep quality, a reduction in pain, and a stabilization of their psychological state.
The efficacy of DBS is sustained over time: five years after the procedure, the overall improvement is 54%, and even after 11 years, an improvement of 36% is still observed.
Who is eligible for DBS and how to get started?
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is indicated for patients with Parkinson's disease who meet the following criteria:
- Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (excluding atypical Parkinson's syndromes).
- Advanced disease (at least 5 years since diagnosis).
- Positive response to dopaminergic treatments, but with motor complications such as on-off fluctuations and dyskinesias.
- Absence of severe cognitive or psychiatric disturbances.
- Good general health without serious progressive pathology.
The road to DBS begins with a thorough evaluation by a specialized medical team. Once a decision has been made, the procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia and the stimulation parameters are adjusted.
How does Deep Brain Stimulation work?
The DBS process has several stages:
- Preoperative evaluation: Patients are carefully selected based on their medical condition, severity of symptoms, and response to current treatments.
- Electrode implantation: Under local anesthesia, electrodes are placed in specific areas of the brain, such as the subthalamic nucleus (STN) or the globus pallidus internus (GPI). These areas are involved in controlling movement.
- Electrical stimulation: A pacemaker-like device is implanted under the skin near the collarbone. It sends electrical impulses to electrodes to regulate brain activity.
- Adjustment and follow-up: After the procedure, stimulation parameters are adjusted to maximize benefits and minimize side effects.
Testimonials and recent advances : What the experts say
In Turkey, neurologists and researchers continue to improve DBS. New generations of electrodes are optimizing neurostimulation.
These new devices not only stimulate target areas of the brain more effectively, but also significantly reduce side effects. This progress significantly improves patients' quality of life while increasing treatment efficacy.
Expert testimonials are unanimous: DBS represents a real turning point in the treatment of certain neurological disorders, and recent research suggests even more promising results for years to come.
