What is deep brain stimulation?

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a minimally invasive neurosurgical procedure used to treat a variety of movement disorders and neurological conditions, particularly when medication to treat these disorders is no longer as effective as it should be, or the side effects negatively impact a person’s daily life.

Tremors and other movement related symptoms associated with these disorders and conditions result from dysfunctional signals in the areas of the brain that control movement.

Who could benefit from DBS?

DBS is most commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease. Although it is not a cure for the disease and its associated tremors, it has been shown to significantly improve the functioning, independence, and quality of life of persons with Parkinson's disease.

The procedure is also used to treat essential tremor and dystonia, a condition characterised by abnormal, involuntary movements. Conservative management of dystonia is not very effective, which makes DBS the best treatment option in many cases.

  • Used together with medication, DBS has shown excellent results with improvements of up to 90% in the management of symptoms associated with movement disorders.

  • DBS is also used to control symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder and epilepsy that is difficult to manage.

  • In cases where epilepsy is resistant to medication, surgery to remove the part of the brain from where the epilepsy stems can be very effective. However, if surgery does not result in a cure for your epilepsy, DBS is used to help reduce the severity of your seizures.

How the neurostimulator works

01

Regulating abnormal impulses

Once the device is turned on, it delivers continuous pulses of electric current to the affected areas in the brain. The stimulation effect regulates abnormal impulses by reprogramming the brain cells to form normal neural pathways, which can reduce symptoms considerably.

02

Controlling the stimulation

The amount of stimulation is controlled by the neurostimulator device and will be adjusted during follow up consultations, aligned to your condition and needs — this usually takes some adjustments over a period of time to achieve an effective balance for controlling the symptoms while limiting side effects.

03

Improving activities of daily living

Selecting the right patients, accurate placement of the electrodes and adjustment of the neurostimulator to deliver the right amount of current are essential for DBS to achieve optimal improvement in your activities of daily living such as walking, doing household chores, and writing – to mention a few – and enhance your quality of life.