ABSTRACT
Over the past decade, deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery has emerged as a
powerful treatment modality for advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). DBS of
the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been shown to provide both immediate and
long-term benefit in ameliorating the cardinal motor features of bradykinesia,
rigidity, tremor, and gait impairment (1-8). For many patients, the impetus for
undergoing surgery arises from the limitations of pharmacotherapy, which may
include erratic fluctuations in medication duration and effect, as well as
adverse effects of increasing doses of medications, such as levodopa-induced
dyskinesias and neuropsychological effects.
