Is Behavioral Outcome Better with Earlier Deep Brain Stimulation?

In young patients with Parkinson disease and early motor complications, behavioral outcomes were better with deep brain stimulation plus medication than with medication alone.

To examine the effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on behavior in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), researchers conducted a secondary analysis of the EARLYSTIM DBS trial, a parallel, open-label, manufacturer-funded study in 17 European surgical centers. Patients who were relatively young and had early motor complications were randomized 1:1 to medical therapy alone or to bilateral subthalamic DBS plus medical therapy. The primary outcome, change in quality of life during 2 years of follow-up, was previously reported to be better with DBS. For the current study, secondary behavioral outcomes were assessed using the Ardouin Scale of Behavior, the Starkstein Apathy Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. There were 251 patients (127 …

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)