title: Both thalamic and pallidal deep brain stimulation for myoclonic dystonia.
abstract: Myoclonic dystonia is poorly managed with medication and may be severe enough to warrant surgical intervention. Surgery has targeted either the globus pallidus pars interna (GPi) or the thalamus, but there is no accepted target for this condition. The authors present the case of a 23-year-old man treated with unilateral deep brain stimulation in both the thalamus and GPi. His movement disorder improved dramatically with stimulation. Two years postoperatively, the authors performed a double-blind assessment of the effects of each stimulator together, separately, and off stimulation. Videotape assessment, using tremor, dystonia, and myoclonus rating scales, showed that most of the benefit could be attributed to pallidal stimulation, although there was some advantage to stimulation at both sites. These results suggest that while GPi stimulation may be the better target for this condition, thalamic stimulation may be added in cases in which the benefit is insufficient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean Q L
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Oropilla
authors.forename: Cid C E
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Diesta
authors.forename: Parunut
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Itthimathin
authors.forename: Oksana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Suchowersky
authors.forename: Zelma H T
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Kiss
mesh_terms: D001931:Brain Mapping; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004421:Dystonia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D020651:Ventral Thalamic Nuclei / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult