Know what you can do for your patients with movement disorders.
Movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Dystonia and Essential Tremor, have a disruptive impact on patients’ lives. Because of their symptoms, they could lose the ability to perform simple, everyday tasks leading to limited independence and poor quality of life.
Many patients suffering from movement disorders are not adequately managed with pharmaceutical medical treatments, so their symptoms could be out of control, increasing depression and self-isolation: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) may offer to these patients the hope of having a whole new life. In this page, you will be able to explore DBS resources to support your conversations with movement disorders patients.
What is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a well-established, safe, and effective treatment that helps improve day-to-day experiences and quality of life for patients whose symptoms are no longer controlled by medication.
Explore frequently asked questions below to discover how this therapy could help your patients.
Learn more about DBS here.
How does DBS work?
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) uses a device similar in size and shape to a cardiac pacemaker
The DBS device sends signals to your brain to help control the symptoms of movement disorders. The implanting surgeon will place one or two insulated wires called ’leads’ in the brain.
The leads are then connected to the stimulator (which is placed under the skin in the chest). When the stimulator is turned on, it produces mild electrical impulses that stimulate a specific target within the brain.
The stimulation may help regulate the incorrect signaling in the brain, improving some of the symptoms of movement disorders.
What will you find in the DBS Handbook?
The handbook is designed to guide you through the referral process, with seven easy steps to referring, and help you support your patient’s decision, with specially designed patient support materials.
Seven easy steps to referring movement disorder patients
Frequently asked questions by referrers and patients
Resources to support your conversations with patients
Stories from DBS patients
Frequently asked questions
DBS can be used to treat three of the most common movement disorders: Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and essential tremor.
Parkinson’s disease: DBS may improve motor functions, such as tremor, slowness, and rigidity.
Essential tremor: DBS therapy may reduce some of the primary symptoms and improve daily life.
Dystonia: DBS can help reduce sustained muscle contractions that trigger twisting and repetitive movements or unintended postures.
The Deep Brain Stimulation Handbook includes supporting material to help you identify suitable candidates.
The DBS physician locator helps you find the right expert so that your patient remains in safe hands.
The DBS Handbook will support your conversations with patients suffering with movement disorders. With seven easy steps to referring, frequently asked questions by referrers and patients and patient support materials, the handbook is designed to guide you through the Deep Brain Stimulation referral process.
Not all movement disorders patients are affected by the disease in the same way. The severity, type and recurrence of any symptom will vary by individual. As will his or her response to Deep Brain Stimulation treatment. But quite often, DBS allows movement disorders patients to reduce the amount of medicine they take and live free from disruptive side effects such as uncontrolled movements, incontinence, and moodiness.
Download the handbook to access to more information or click here to reach out to an expert from Boston Scientific.
DBS Handbook
A learning resource on DBS therapy for patients with movement disorders.
Contact and support
Bove F et al. Long-term outcomes (15 years) after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson disease. Neurology 2021 Jun 2; [e pub]. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000012246
Groiss SJ, Wojtecki L, Südmeyer M, Schnitzler A. Deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease. Ther Adv Neurol Disord. 2009;2(6):20-28. doi:10.1177/1756285609339382
Ortiz, R.M., Scheperjans, F. & Pekkonen, E. Deep brain stimulation for dystonia in Finland during 2007–2016. BMC Neurol 19, 137 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883 019-1370-y
Hu W, Stead M. Deep brain stimulation for dystonia. Transl Neurodegener. 2014;3(1):2. Published 2014 Jan 21. doi:10.1186/2047-9158-3-2 5
Wang KL, Ren Q, Chiu S, Patel B, Meng FG, Hu W, Shukla AW. Deep brain stimulation and other surgical modalities for the management of essential tremor. Expert Rev Med Devices. 2020 Aug;17(8):817-833. doi: 10.1080/17434440.2020.1806709. PMID: 33081571.
Kübler D, Kroneberg D, Al-Fatly B, Schneider GH, Ewert S, van Riesen C, Gruber D, Ebersbach G, Kühn AA. Determining an efficient deep brain stimulation target in essential tremor - Cohort study and review of the literature. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2021 Aug;89:54-62. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2021.06.019. Epub 2021 Jun 29. PMID: 34225135.
Cleveland Clinic. Deep Brain Stimulation. April 2019. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/ treatments/21088-deep-brain-stimulation. Accessed May 2022.
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