Deep brain stimulation in Tourette's syndrome.
A 48-year-old man with severe, lifelong Tourette's syndrome (TS) characterized by forceful self-injurious motor tics and obsessive-compulsive disorder was treated with bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS). The decision to treat was based on his progressive neurological impairment (left sided weakness secondary to spinal cord injury) because of his relentless, violent head jerks. Electrodes were implanted at the level of the medial part of the thalamus (centromedian nucleus, the substantia periventricularis, and the nucleus ventro-oralis internus). DBS resulted in a substantial reduction of tics. These data show that bilateral DBS of the thalamus can have a good effect on severe tics in adult patients suffering from intractable TS.
Bajwa
Rizma Jalees
RJ
Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
de Lotbinière
Alain J
AJ
King
Robert A
RA
Jabbari
Bahman
B
Quatrano
Susan
S
Kunze
Kimberly
K
Scahill
Lawrence
L
Leckman
James F
JF
D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*