Deep brain stimulation

New hope for Parkinson’s patients

Struthers Parkinson’s Center and Park Nicollet Neurosciences are teaming up to provide deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical treatment offered for Parkinson’s disease.

Although medications help many people with Parkinson’s disease, side effects and disease progression eventually limit their benefits. DBS can help control slowness, stiffness and tremor in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease, and sometimes reduce medication doses. A surgically implanted neurostimulator delivers a constant electrical stimulation to targeted areas in the brain, blocking the signals that cause Parkinson’s disease symptoms. The device is similar to a pacemaker for cardiac patients.

Image courtesy of Medtronic Inc.

Martha Nance, MD, medical director, and other Struthers Parkinson's Center doctors carefully evaluate patients to determine if they are candidates for the procedure, and provide ongoing care for those who receive implants.

Research shows the benefits of DBS last at least five years in carefully selected patients with Parkinson’s disease, with more hours of good "on" time, and less severe "off" times during which medications are ineffective.

Patient stories

• Donald Falk
• Claire Auble
• Richard Holmbeck

Find out more at a deep brain stimulation information session.