Quantitative analysis of gait in Parkinson's disease: a pilot study on the effects of bilateral sub-thalamic stimulation.
Four patients with Parkinson's disease who had a Subthalamic Nucleus (STN) stimulator implanted and four age-matched controls underwent gait analysis using a three-dimensional system. STN stimulation substantially improved most of the key variables in the patients, without producing inefficient compensatory movements of the trunk. A reduction of ankle power production during push off was the most persistent abnormality seen when the patients were stimulated. We also found a reduction of trunk lateral bending and torsion when the patients were not stimulated when compared with controls.
Ferrarin
Maurizio
M
Centro di Bioingegneria, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy. ferramau@mail.cbi.polimi.it
Lopiano
L
L
Rizzone
M
M
Lanotte
M
M
Bergamasco
B
B
Recalcati
M
M
Pedotti
A
A
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus