Deep Brain Stimulation can improve life of Parkinson's patients

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a neuro surgical procedure, can give a better sense of life to patients with severe Parkinson's disease, neuro specialists have said.

They said that under this procedure doctors implant a medical device called a neurostimulator (brain pacemaker), which sends electrical impulses, through implanted electrodes, to specific parts of the brain (brain nucleus) for the treatment of movement and affective disorders.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressively degenerative disorder of the central nervous system which basically affects the control of body movements.

"Till now there is no medical procedure that can actally cure Parkinson's disease completely. Using this procedure we only try to give a better life to the patients who cannot live a normal life due to the disorder," said Atul Prasad, director and senior consultant of neurology at BLK Super Specialty Hospital.

Talking about the procedure Prasad said: "DBS in select brain regions has provided therapeutic benefits for otherwise-treatment-resistant movement and affective disorders. We give this treatment to only the ones who want to undergo and not to every patient suffering from Parkinson disease."

He said usually during the surgery the doctors make holes in the skull of the patient and then through it place the brain pacemaker.

Agreed Rakesh Tandon, a Delhi based neurologist. He said this surgery had positive results in several cases. However, it is important for the family and the patient to agree for the surgical procedure.

World Parkinson's Disease Day is on April 11.

According to the experts, the awareness about the DBS among the people is somewhere around 30-40 percent. That is another reason why the surgical procedure is not being undergone widely.