|
< Back to Previous Page
Deep-Brain Stimulation Eases Movement Disorder
Deep-brain stimulation appears to be effective in treating patients with the movement disorder called dystonia, even when those patients no longer respond to medication.
Dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that result in repetitive movements, twisting and abnormal postures. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition affects some 300,000 people across North America.
Deep-brain stimulation, formally called bilateral pallidal neurostimulation, "is a reasonable treatment for people who have failed other therapies," concluded study co-researcher Dr. Guenther Deuschl, professor of neurology and chairman of the department of neurology at Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany.
The procedure, which involves placing a thin wire that can carry electrical currents deep within the brain, is already practiced in various locations.
"This is not a novel treatment, but this is the most thorough clinical trial so far," added Jan Teller, science officer for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation in Chicago. "This proved beyond doubt that deep brain stimulation is actually a very effective treatment." Read more at 4woman.gov
|
Brain Damage Newsroom
