Alternative to deep brain stimulation: Spinal Stimulation

Leave the Brain Out of It: Spinal Stimulation Could Offer an Alternative to Treat Parkinson's Motor Symptoms

Posted by  Maggie McGuire, March 10, 2014

Image of spinal cord and nervous system courtesy of NIH

Deep brain stimulation is a game changer for many Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. This therapy can alleviate motor symptoms and improve quality of life, but it does require brain surgery and is not a possibility for all people with PD.

A group of researchers from Duke University and the Edmond and Lily Safra Institute of Neuroscience of Natal in Brazil is working toward the same end result without the need for such an invasive procedure. These investigators made a splash earlier this year when they published in Scientific Reports that spinal cord stimulation in pre-clinical models improved motor symptoms and showed neuronal protection.

Read the rest of the story:https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?leave-the-brain-out-of-it-spinal-stimulation-could-offer-an-alternative-to-treat-parkinson&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=foxflash&utm_campaign=spinalstimulation&s_src=spinalstimulation&s_subsrc=email