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Parkinson's Disease Is Incurable But The Quality of Life of Sufferers Can Be Improved By Deep Brain Stimulation Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological condition caused by a lack of a chemical called dopamine because some nerve cells in the brain have died. The cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown and it's not easy to diagnose it. The majority of people who get Parkinson's are aged 50 or over. Although younger people can get the disease too, they are less common amongst the younger generation. Research into deep brain stimulation for people with Parkinson's shows that surgery can significantly improve quality of life for some people with the condition.
Here are some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Using the deep brain stimulation technique, signals from an electrical implant in the brain can help reduce Parkinson's symptoms, such as tremor and stiffness.
Brain 'pacemaker' surgery hope Published: 2010/04/28 23:41:28 GMT
More than 300 patients in the UK were fitted with electrodes that deliver an electric current deep within the brain. The technique, known as deep brain stimulation, activates areas of the brain that control movement, improving symptoms such as tremors and stiffness. One person in every 500 has Parkinson's but surgery is generally used only as a last resort. Deep brain stimulation involves implanting a wire, with electrodes at its tip, into one of three areas of the brain.
“There's still a postcode lottery in the UK when it comes to accessing Parkinson's services” The wire is connected to a small "neurostimulator" unit rather like a pacemaker, which is implanted under the skin of the chest. This unit sends electrical impulses along the wire and into the brain. The impulses block the electrical signals that cause Parkinson's disease symptoms. No cure The UK team investigated 366 patients, who received either surgery and medication, or medication alone. When followed up after a year, the researchers, based in Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Oxford and London, found those who had undergone surgery reported a better quality of life. Writing in Lancet Neurology, they say surgery is an important treatment option for patients with Parkinson's. Professor Keith Wheatley of the University of Birmingham told the BBC: "It is not a cure. What it does is help control symptoms more than medication alone." The 10-year study, funded by the charity Parkinson's UK, the Medical Research Council and the Department of Health, is said to be the largest trial of its kind in the world. 'Patchy' Dr Kieran Breen, director of research and development at Parkinson's UK said access to deep brain stimulation was "patchy". He said the surgery should be made available to people who need it, when they need it.
"There's still a postcode lottery in the UK when it comes to accessing Parkinson's services," he added. "We want to make sure that everyone with Parkinson's has equal access to the care and support they need, wherever they live." Bob Garland, aged 65, from Plymouth, was diagnosed with Parkinson's 18 years ago. He had the surgery at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol in 2002. He said: "It has taken away the extremes of my movement problems." He encouraged others to seek an opinion on whether the operation was suitable for them. "You have to go into it with a very positive attitude," he added.
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Brain surgery to treat Parkinson's disease is more effective than medication alone, a study has found.
