Hope for Parkinson's patients: Deep brain stimulation

Author: Li Hongxing, deputy chief physician of Shengli Oilfield Central Hospital

Reviewer: Zong Qiang, Chief Physician of Shengli Oilfield Central Hospital

In today's era of rapid development of medical technology, Parkinson's disease, a neurological disease that has yet to be conquered, is gradually ushering in new hope for treatment. Today, we will learn about the treatment strategy that has brought hope to countless Parkinson's patients - deep brain stimulation (DBS).

1. Understanding Parkinson's disease: "tremors" that cannot be ignored

Parkinson's disease is a chronic progressive neurological disease characterized by resting tremor, muscle stiffness, bradykinesia and balance disorders. Simple actions such as walking, writing and even eating may become extremely difficult for Parkinson's patients.

The cause of Parkinson's disease is still unclear, and current research tends to be related to multiple factors such as aging, genetic susceptibility, and exposure to environmental toxins. It is generally believed that its pathogenesis is a decrease in the excitatory neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.

2. Limitations of Traditional Treatment Methods

Faced with the challenge of Parkinson's disease, the medical community has never stopped exploring. Traditional treatment methods mainly include drug therapy, physical therapy and rehabilitation training. Therapeutic drugs mainly include anticholinergic drugs and drugs that improve dopamine neurotransmitter function. However, drug therapy can only improve symptoms but cannot prevent the progression of the disease; as the disease progresses, the efficacy of the drug will gradually weaken and may be accompanied by side effects. Physical therapy and rehabilitation training can improve the patient's motor ability and quality of life to a certain extent, but it is difficult to fundamentally reverse the course of the disease.

3. DBS: A ray of hope that subverts tradition

It is in this context that DBS came into being, providing a new treatment approach for Parkinson's patients. DBS is a technology that uses electrical stimulation to regulate brain activity by implanting electrodes deep in the brain. It can not only significantly improve the motor symptoms of Parkinson's patients, but also reduce the dosage of drugs to a certain extent and reduce the risk of side effects.

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4. DBS treatment process and principle

The DBS treatment process can be roughly divided into three stages: preoperative evaluation, surgical implantation, and postoperative adjustment.

Preoperative evaluation: Before deciding to undergo DBS surgery, the doctor will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the patient, including a full-body examination, imaging examinations (such as CT, MRI), and psychological evaluation to ensure that the patient is suitable for the treatment and to determine the best electrode implantation location.

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Surgical implantation: During the operation, the doctor will precisely implant electrodes in the patient's brain, which are connected to a neurostimulator implanted in the chest or abdomen through wires. The entire operation needs to be performed under general anesthesia to ensure the safety and comfort of the patient.

Postoperative adjustment: After the electrodes are implanted, the parameters of the neurostimulator, such as current intensity and pulse frequency, can be adjusted through an external remote control to achieve the best treatment effect. This process requires close cooperation between the patient and the doctor to gradually adjust the parameters according to the improvement of symptoms.

The reason why DBS can effectively relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease is that it directly acts on the nuclei in the brain related to movement control through electrical stimulation, regulates abnormal neural activity patterns, and thus restores the brain's normal control over muscles.

5. Comprehensive treatment effects of DBS and future prospects

DBS is not an isolated treatment method. It often needs to be combined with medication, rehabilitation therapy, psychological support and other methods to form a comprehensive treatment strategy. DBS combined with other treatment methods can significantly improve the motor symptoms of Parkinson's patients, improve their quality of life, and even delay the progression of the disease to a certain extent.

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With the continuous advancement of science and technology and the increasing maturity of medical technology, the application prospects of DBS in the treatment of Parkinson's disease will be broader. In the future, we are expected to see the emergence of more accurate and intelligent DBS systems, providing patients with more individualized and efficient treatment plans.

VI. Conclusion

Although Parkinson's disease is still a difficult disease to cure, with the continuous development of medical technology, we have more and more effective treatment methods. DBS, as the leader among them, has brought hope to countless patients. Let us work together to explore more new ways to treat Parkinson's disease and protect the healthy life of patients.