CONDITIONS TREATED
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is approved and funded in Australia for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and dystonia. DBS is approved but not yet funded for use in epilepsy and obsessive compulsive disorder. DBS can be applied to many different ‘targets’ in the brain – each yielding different effects. The choice of target depends on the condition being treated and the most prominent symptoms. DBS is not a cure for any condition. The aim is to improve quality of life.
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PARKINSONS DISEASE
DBS can directly improve movement including slowness, stiffness, tremor, walking difficulties and involuntary movement (dyskinesias). This can reduce the need to take Parkinson’s medication.
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ESSENTIAL TREMOR
DBS can substantially improve arm tremor (e.g. by over 80%) and, to a lesser extent, midline tremor such as voice and head tremor (e.g. by 50%). DBS can thereby improve function such as eating, drinking and writing. DBS can reduce or eliminate the need to take anti-tremor medication.
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DYSTONIA
DBS can help generalised (whole body) or focal (e.g. torticollis) dystonia. Abnormal movement and also pain may improve. DBS can thereby improve function such as eating and driving and improve quality of life. DBS can reduce the need to take dystonia medication and botulinum toxin injections. The effect on dystonia is not immediate, but accrues over months and years.
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Epilepsy
DBS can improve the frequency and severity of seizures, in both focal and generalised (grand mal) epilepsies. A large study demonstrated that in focal epilepsy resistant to medication, DBS reduced seizures in all patients, with 50% of patients having 50% less seizures. Studies are now underway in a collaboration across major hospitals in Melbourne to refine DBS for epilepsy. Research on Epilepsy.