title: Neuropsychological and quality of life changes following unilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease: a one-year follow-up.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pahwa
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Tröster
mesh_terms: 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