Stereotactic neurosurgical treatment of drug addiction.
BACKGROUND
Stereotactic neurosurgery is a well-developed and accepted treatment for movement disorders like Parkinson's disease.


OBJECTIVE
Review use of this neurosurgical intervention to treat drug addiction since the 1960s.


METHODS
Literature review of case and series reports.


RESULTS
Stereotactic neurosurgery has shown promising results in reducing drug addiction, but it has also caused severe side effects. Thus, surgeons have sought to refine the stereotactic lesion procedure and its target over the past 50 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Recent developments in stereotactic technique and deep brain stimulation (DBS) may make stereotactic neurosurgery a viable and reversible treatment for drug addiction.
Lu
Lin
L
National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, 38, Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100083, China. linlu@bjmu.edu.cn
Wang
Xi
X
Kosten
Thomas R
TR
D001921:Brain / Q000601:surgery*; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D011612:Psychosurgery / Q000639:trends*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000601:surgery*