Subthalamic stimulation improves motor function but not home and neighborhood mobility.
OBJECTIVE
Subthalamic (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a recognized therapy for alleviating motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, little is known about its impact on mobility, an important component of quality of life (QoL). To address this issue, we assessed the impact of STN DBS on life-space mobility and QoL.


METHODS
Twenty surgical patients with PD were assessed using mobility and QoL scales and the United Parkinson's disease rating scale, and results were compared before surgery and 6 to 9 months postoperatively.


RESULTS
STN DBS significantly improved motor dysfunction but had a limited impact on measures of life-space mobility and QoL.


CONCLUSIONS
STN DBS improves motor function and some components of QoL. However, motor recovery does not translate into improved life-space in the intermediate term. In addition to a focus on motor function, multidisciplinary attention to increasing mobility may further improve QoL in the intermediate and long-term.
Cone Laboratory for Research in Neurosurgery, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Jean-François
JF
Daneault
Christian
C
Duval
Sébastien
S
Barbat-Artigas
Mylène
M
Aubertin-Leheudre
Nicolas
N
Jodoin
Michel
M
Panisset
Abbas F
AF
Sadikot
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013995:Time
DBS; Parkinson's disease; STN; life-space; movement disorder; quality of life