Neuropsychological and quality of life changes following unilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease: a one-year follow-up.
BACKGROUND
The long-term neuropsychological and quality of life (QOL) outcomes of unilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with intractable Parkinson's disease (PD) have not heretofore been described.


METHODS
Six patients diagnosed with PD underwent unilateral DBS implantation into a verified thalamic VIM nucleus target. Participants completed presurgical neuropsychological evaluation and follow-up assessment at approximately one year postsurgery.


RESULTS
Compared to their presurgical scores, PD patients exhibited significant improvement on measures of conceptualization, verbal memory, emotional adjustment, and QOL at one-year follow-up. A few nominal declines were observed across the battery of tests.


CONCLUSIONS
These data provide preliminary support for the long-term neurocognitive safety and QOL improvements following thalamic stimulation in patients with PD.
Woods
S P
SP
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
Fields
J A
JA
Lyons
K E
KE
Koller
W C
WC
Wilkinson
S B
SB
Pahwa
R
R
Tröster
A I
AI
D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome