Parkinson's Disease Your Health

About the Therapy

About DBS Therapy

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy may reduce many of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.¹ This adjustable and if necessary, reversible therapy uses an implanted device that electrically stimulates the brain, blocking the signals that cause disabling motor symptoms.

What Is It?

DBS therapy for Parkinson's disease uses a surgically implanted medical device similar to a cardiac pacemaker to deliver electrical stimulation to precisely targeted areas within the brain.
More

Benefits and Risks

All treatment and outcome results are specific to the individual patient, and will form part of your consultation with your healthcare professional.

Please consult your healthcare professional for a full list of benefits, indications, precautions, clinical results, and other important medical information that pertains to DBS therapy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn some of the commonly asked questions and concerns about how DBS therapy may reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
More

Next: What Is It?

What Is It?

What Is DBS Therapy?

Deep Brain Stimulation System

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy is a surgical treatment which may reduce some of the symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease (PD).¹

How It Works

DBS uses a surgically implanted medical device similar to a cardiac pacemaker to deliver electrical stimulation to precisely targeted areas within the brain.

Stimulation of these areas blocks the signals that cause the disabling motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The electrical stimulation can be noninvasively adjusted to maximise therapy benefits. As a result, many individuals may achieve greater control over their body movements.

A DBS system consists of three implanted components:

Lead – A lead consists of four thin coiled insulated wires with four electrodes at the lead tip. The lead is implanted in the brain.
Extension – An extension connects to the lead and is threaded under the skin from the head, down the neck and into the upper chest.
Neurostimulator – The neurostimulator connects to the extension. This small, sealed device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, contains a battery and electronics. The neurostimulator is usually implanted beneath the skin in the chest below the collarbone (depending on the patient, a surgeon may implant the neurostimulator in the abdomen). Sometimes called a "brain pacemaker," it produces the electrical pulses needed for stimulation.

These electrical pulses are delivered through the extension and lead to the targeted areas in the brain. The pulses can be adjusted wirelessly to check or change the neurostimulator settings.

Operating the System

Your surgeon will provide you with a small handheld patient programmer. This programmer lets you turn the system on and off by holding it for 1 or 2 seconds against the area where the neurostimulator is implanted. However, in most cases, the neurostimulator is always on.

Next: Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions – DBS Therapy

What is deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for Parkinson's disease?
How does the therapy work?
What are the implanted components of a DBS system?
Is it possible to adjust the device settings?
What benefits does DBS offer?
What are the potential risks of DBS?
What is the history of DBS?
Does DBS cure Parkinson's disease?
How effective is DBS for treating Parkinson's disease?

What is deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for Parkinson's disease?

DBS offers an adjustable and if necessary, reversible method for the treatment of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD).

How does the therapy work?

DBS uses a surgically implanted medical device similar to a cardiac pacemaker to deliver electrical stimulation to the parts of the brain that control movement. Stimulation of these areas blocks the signals that cause the disabling motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. As a result, individuals may achieve greater control over their body movements.

What are the implanted components of a DBS system?

The DBS system consists of three implanted components:

Two leads implanted in the brain
Two extensions threaded under the skin from the head, down the neck and into the upper chest
One or two neurostimulators implanted beneath the skin in the chest below the collarbone and connected to the extensions

Is it possible to adjust the device settings?

The device settings and stimulation levels can be adjusted noninvasively by a clinician using a programming device.

What benefits does DBS offer?

Although there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, DBS may reduce some of the symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease.¹

What are the potential risks of DBS?

Risks of DBS can include risks of surgery, side effects, or device complications. Please see Benefits and Risks for more details.

What is the history of DBS?

Neurologists and neurosurgeons have used electrical stimulation since the 1960s as a way to locate and distinguish specific sites in the brain. Brain stimulation technology was developed in the 1980s.

Does DBS cure Parkinson's disease?

There is no cure for Parkinson's disease at this time. DBS therapy may reduce some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease¹, but does not cure the underlying condition. If the therapy is discontinued, your symptoms will return.

How effective is DBS for treating Parkinson's disease?

DBS therapy reduces complications of drug therapy, such as dyskinesia and fluctuations in 'on' and 'off' time. It reduces complications of drug therapy by 37% and troublesome side effects are reduced by 61% compared to medication alone. Without DBS, people receiving best medical therapy (BMT) experience between a 5.4% reduction to a 13% increase in drug-related complications compared with their baseline^1,2,3,4.

Next: Getting DBS Therapy

References

Okun MS, Fallo BV, Mandybur G, et al. Subthalamic deep brain stimulation with a constant current device in Parkinson’s disease: an open label randomized clinical trial. Lancet Neurology. 2012;11(12):1014-1015.

Schüpbach W, Rau J, Knudsen K, Volkmann J, Krack P, Timmermann L, et al. Neurostimulation for Parkinson’s disease with early motor complications. EARLYSTIM Study. N Eng J Med. 2013;368:610-622.

Weaver FM, Follett KA, Stern M, et al. Bilateral deep brain stimulation vs. best medical therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease. JAMA. 2009;301(1):63-73.

⁴

Williams A, Gill S, Jenkinson C, et al. Deep brain stimulation plus best medical therapy versus best medical therapy alone for advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD Surg trial): a randomised, open-label trial. Lancet Neurology 2010;9(6):581-91.

Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.