Functional balance performance in patients with Parkinson's disease after long-term treatment with subthalamic nucleus high-frequency stimulation

Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2008;14(4):291-7. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2007.09.003. Epub 2007 Nov 19.

Abstract

The aim was to investigate if functional balance performance in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) was affected by long-term (3 years) treatment with bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) high-frequency stimulation. Thirty-five patients were consecutively included, and 28 patients completed the study (mean age 62 years, SD 6.5). The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was assessed preoperatively and 1 and 3 years postoperatively (with and without anti-PD medication and with the STN stimulation turned OFF or ON). Although the balance performance of patients with PD decreased over time, the functional balance performance was still positively affected by STN stimulation alone 3 years after surgery.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology*
  • Parkinson Disease / therapy*
  • Postural Balance*
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology*
  • Psychomotor Performance / radiation effects
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Subthalamic Nucleus / physiology*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome