A New Brain Stimulation Technique Offers Hope of Improvement to Sufferers of Parkinson's Disease
The technique, reported in The Lancet Neurology journal in April 2010, uses an electrical implant and was found to be effective when used on hundreds of patients over the course of a ten-year trial.
So encouraging were the results that the technique has been judged to be more effective than the drugs currently available to alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson's.
Some participants in the trial were so pleased by the results they experienced that they said they felt they had "got their lives back". Most had experienced a significant diminution in the disabling muscle rigidity and tremors caused by the disease.
The new treatment is a surgical technique in which patients are fitted with a neurostimulator. The device emits mild electrical currents to block the abnormal nerve signals which are characteristic of Parkinson's. With these faulty nerve signals disrupted, symptoms are lessened. Participants in the trial found that they needed less medication after the surgery was performed.
As well as being effective in treating symptoms, the new technique is cost-effective. The sums saved in medication after the surgery is performed mean that each surgical procedure 'pays for itself' within two or three years.
The trial was run by England's Birmingham University and involved experts in the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease. Several of the UK's most prominent neurosurgeons and consultant neurologists were involved in administering the surgery and monitoring its effects.
The technique will be welcomed by all Parkinson's sufferers but especially by those whose symptoms do not respond positively to medication and those whose symptoms respond but who experience unpleasant side effects as a result of drug treatment.
Published by Catherine Dagger
READ CATH'S BLOG on daily life in Provence, south of France, at: http://provencesouthoffrance.blogspot.com Cath lives in Provence. In the past she lived in Washington DC., England, Scotland and Italy. Sh... View profile
- Alleviate Parkinson's Disease Symptoms NaturallyFor elderly adults, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease can be alleviated with these natural solutions.
- Pilates Exercises-Benefits for Patients with Parkinson's DiseasePeople with Parkinson's Disease (PD) have trouble controlling the way they move, and may have to take drugs just to be able to do everyday activities. But now some of them are finding another way to move more easily -...
- GBA Gene Mutation Possibly Linked to Parkinson's DiseaseA new research study indicates that individuals with a certain mutation have an increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease than those without the mutation.
New Technologies for Parkinson's DiseaseParkinson's disease can progress at a quick pace, there are several new technologies that can provide those with the condition much sought after relief. This article will expla...- How to Care for Your Cat After Cataract SurgeryEven though cats do not often need cataract surgery, when they do require it, you need to know how to provide care for your cat after cataract surgery.
- Azilect, a Synopsis of Parkinson's Disease Treatment Option
- Deep Brain Stimulation: Relationship from Parkinson's Disease to Depression
- Parkinson's Disease- Symptoms, Treatments, and Perhaps Some Hope
- Facts and Figures About Parkinson's Disease
- History and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
- New Advances in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
- Parkinson's Disease: Tips for Sufferers