title: Neuropsychological changes after subthalamic nucleus stimulation: a 12 month follow-up in nine patients with Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus has been recognized as one of the most promising techniques to decrease 'off' motor symptoms and motor fluctuations, allowing a reduction of drug therapy and limiting side effects of drug therapy. However, there is still open debate on the possible consequences of chronic subthalamic stimulation on general cognitive performance. A general amelioration of cognitive performance, in particular of executive functions has been reported but results are not homogeneous. We studied nine patients with Parkinson's Disease for 12 months following surgery for deep stimulation, studying their cognitive performances, paying particular attention to linguistic tests and selective alternating words production. Our results may be consistent with a slowing of cognitive activity, with a reduction of quantitative production, but with an increase in control of linguistic production, which is more precise and definite. We discuss the possible significance of these results, fully aware that only nine patients were involved, and that the potential for generalization is seriously limited, with a particular overview on the frontal-subthalamic pathway, which in our opinion is responsible for the results we observed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiologia e Patologia, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy. moretti@univ.trieste.it
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Torre
authors.forename: Rodolfo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Antonello
authors.forename: Livio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capus
authors.forename: Sandro Zambito
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Marsala
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cattaruzza
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cazzato
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bava
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*