Deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is one of a group of treatments involving surgical implantation of a medical device called brain pacemaker which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain. This surgical procedure is used to treat severe essential tremor and tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia (slow movement) associated with Parkinson's disease, as well as primary dystonia and other conditions. Brain pacemakers were approved by FDA in 1997 as a treatment for epilepsy http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9707/16/health.briefs/epilepsy/index.html (this kind of treatment is called vagus nerve stimulation, not deep brain stimulation) and Parkinson's disease as well as essential tremor http://rarediseases.about.com/cs/movementdisorders/a/020902.htm http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/NEW00580.html, and in April 2003 as a treatment for primary distonia http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/512773.html. In March 2005, the results of a Canadian study were published indicating that DBS may also alleviate symptoms in patients suffering from treatment-resistant clinical depression.

Related Topics:
Brain - Essential tremor - Tremor - Bradykinesia - Parkinson's disease - Primary dystonia - FDA - 1997 - Vagus nerve stimulation - 2003 - 2005 - Canadian - Clinical depression

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