by KYW's Pat Loeb
A neurology professor at the University of Pennsylvania reports that a different type of therapy can help patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Matthew Stern is one of the authors of a study in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that shows that deep brain stimulation can improve movement and the quality of life in patients who have taken certain drug treatments for so long that they're no longer working.
Dr. Stern (right) says the treatment connects electrodes, surgically inserted in the brain, to a pacemaker-like device:
"By delivering a series of continuous impulses to these deep structures, we can restore the electrical balance in the brain back toward normality."
Stern says the alternative treatment shows better results than drugs but also bigger risks:
"This treatment has enabled patients to function in a much smoother way despite having had the disease and having taken medication for long periods of time."
However, there is a higher risk of infection, device-related complications, and cardiac disorders, so Dr. Stern says the surgery is not for everyone and should only be done in carefully selected patients at an experienced facility.
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