title: Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical effects of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson's disease within the first 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective study in 8 patients with Parkinson's disease, in whom electrodes were implanted in the subthalamic nucleus bilaterally. We compared levodopa-equivalents and the scores of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale pre- and post-operatively. The post-operative evaluation was done between 3 and 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antiparkinsonian medications were reduced post-operatively by a mean of 61.5% (P < 0.01) from a levodopa-equivalent dosage of 1144.9 +/- 572.5 mg/day to 440.9 +/- 172.1 mg/day. Motor scores improved 44.4% (P < 0.01) and activities of daily living scores 38.2% (P < 0.01). Adverse events included a subcutaneous hematoma in 1 patient after internal pulse generator implantation necessitating evacuation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus is associated with significant improvement in motor function and reduction of antiparkinsonian medications in patients with Parkinson's disease in the first 12 months after surgery. On-state dyskinesias were greatly reduced, probably due to the reduction of total antiparkinsonian medications. The procedure is well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jessen
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bordini
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klootwyk
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Garell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents