Deep brain stimulation of the pedunculopontine tegmentum and subthalamic nucleus: effects on gait in Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the effects of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) and pedunculopontine tegmentum (PPTg) DBS in advanced Parkinson's disease using gait analysis.


METHODS
Five people underwent bilateral DBS in both the STN and PPTg. Gait analysis was performed one year after neurosurgery using an optoelectronic system. The effects of DBS (STN, PPTg and STN+PPTg) were studied in two clinical conditions: without (Off) and during (On) antiparkinsonian therapy.


RESULTS
PPTg and STN DBS were associated with changes in spatio-temporal and kinematics variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Although experimental data cannot be generalized widely due to the small sample, PPTg DBS appears to affect the neuronal circuits subserving gait.
Peppe
A
A
IRCCS, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 309, 00179 Rome, Italy. a.peppe@hsantalucia.it
Pierantozzi
M
M
Chiavalon
C
C
Marchetti
F
F
Caltagirone
C
C
Musicco
M
M
Stanzione
P
P
Stefani
A
A
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D045042:Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus / Q000601:surgery; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000601:surgery
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents