Stimulation of subthalamic nucleus for parkinsons disease

Subthalamic stimulation (STN-DBS) is an established treatment for the patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is considered a surgical treatment alternative for patients with intractable tremor or for those patients who are affected by long-term complications of levodopa therapy such as motor fluctuations and severe dyskinesias. The response to levodopa is a good prognostic factor for good therapeutic effect of STN-DBS. STN-DBS improves the off-period motor symptom and dyskinesias and allows to reduce the levodopa dose, to shorten the off-period and to improve activities of daily livings and quality of life of PD patients. Treatment timing of STN-DBS may be better to start from a relatively early stage of motor fluctuation to emerge to keep the QOL of patients with good long-term conditions. It is said that there is a possibility of causing a decline in cognition after STN-DBS. By performing the surgery with high accuracy, it may be possible to minimize complications of STN-DBS.