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    • DBS therapy that adjusts automatically

    For patients living with Parkinson's disease, symptoms fluctuate throughout the day and night. To meet these needs, BrainSense™ aDBS automatically adjusts the level of therapeutic stimulation based on patient neurophysiology data in real time†, providing more personalized therapy compared to traditional cDBS.

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    Many of our Parkinson’s patients fluctuate all day long. They have to use their patient programmer to increase or decrease the stimulation. The idea of having this closed-loop DBS system doing the work is very exciting.”

    — Monica Volz, Nurse Practitioner

    Monica Volz video headshot

    How BrainSense™ aDBS works

    Personalized therapy

    BrainSense™ Adaptive DBS

    may increase “On” time, on average, compared to traditional DBS (cDBS)‡
    see results below from the ADAPT-PD clinical trial

    1.3 hours

    hours/day§

    13.6 total

    “On” time hours
    with BrainSense™ aDBS§

    85% of waking hours

    with good “On” time§,◊

    87%

    of patients with Parkinson's say adaptive DBS (aDBS) technology sounds appealing.

    98%

    of patients with Parkinson’s disease preferred BrainSense™ aDBS over traditional DBS after using for 30 days.#

    Safety

    There are risks and benefits of DBS: Risks include surgical complications, infection, failure to deliver therapy as needed and/or worsening of some symptoms.

    The safety profile observed for aDBS is consistent with the safety profile for traditional DBS (cDBS). Stimulation-related side effects are expected during initial aDBS setup, such as worsening of Parkinson’s disease symptoms and dyskinesias, and are expected to resolve with reprogramming. It’s important to ensure patients have regular follow up visits to monitor response to therapy, optimize programming, and manage any stimulation-related side effects promptly, especially within aDBS adjustment and set up periods (at least within the first few months of aDBS programming). aDBS is an optional programming feature and may not work for everyone.

    Evidence and education

    Access DBS Academy

    Access on-demand resources — videos, webinars, and more — to deepen your knowledge and uncover the innovations transforming movement disorder care.

    Visit DBS Academy (open in new window)

    Frequently asked questions

    Adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) is a form of DBS therapy that automatically adjusts stimulation based on a patient's brain signals. Unlike conventional DBS, which delivers stimulation continuously, aDBS uses BrainSense™ technology to detect changes in neural activity and adapt therapy throughout the day.

    Conventional DBS delivers stimulation at a fixed setting, regardless of changes in a patient's symptoms or clinical state. Adaptive DBS (aDBS) continuously monitors specific brain signals and automatically adjusts stimulation to help address motor symptom fluctuations associated with Parkinson's disease.

    aDBS is designed for people with Parkinson's disease who experience changes in symptom severity throughout the day. By responding to a patient's unique neural activity, aDBS aims to provide a more personalized therapy experience that adapts as symptoms change.

    BrainSense™ technology captures and analyzes brain signals associated with Parkinson's disease. These insights allow the aDBS system to automatically adjust stimulation when changes in neural activity are detected, creating a therapy that responds to the patient's needs in real time.

    Motor symptom fluctuations occur when symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, or slowness of movement vary throughout the day. These fluctuations may be influenced by factors such as medication timing, sleep, or disease progression, making consistent symptom management challenging.

    Adaptive DBS continuously monitors brain activity, but stimulation adjustments occur only when clinically relevant changes in neural signals are detected. This allows therapy to respond dynamically while remaining personalized to each patient's unique needs.

    No. Adaptive DBS is designed to complement, not replace, clinical expertise. Clinicians remain responsible for programming therapy, evaluating outcomes, and making treatment decisions, while aDBS automatically adjusts stimulation based on real-time brain activity.

    Medtronic BrainSense™ aDBS combines sensing and stimulation within a closed-loop DBS system, allowing therapy to automatically adapt based on a patient's own brain signals. This personalized approach helps move beyond a one-size-fits-all model of stimulation and supports therapy that can evolve as patient needs change.

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    Additional resources

    Find MRI resources

    Medtronic MR Conditional∆ systems are backed by more than 14 years of MRI research and testing history.

    Learn about MRI

    Access DBS Academy

    Access on-demand resources — videos, webinars, and more — to deepen your knowledge and uncover the innovations transforming movement disorder care.

    Visit DBS Academy (open in new window)

    Find reimbursement information

    See reimbursement codes and information for Medtronic DBS.
     

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