New hope for patients with Parkinson's disease

Researchers at the University of Kansas have now studied a new electrical device that might lead to better quality of life of victims of Parkinson's disease.

This new treatment involves implanting an electrical stimulator that helps improve functioning and quality of life for Parkinson's patients. This electrical device helps stimulate both sides of the brain, thus blocking the signals that otherwise cause disabling tremor. The researchers ran a trial of the device with 34 patients, ages ranging from 35 to 75 years for an average of 21 months. They found that on a standard scale, 22 per cent of participants reported improved mobility and overall functioning in everyday tasks. They found an improvement of 38 per cent in motor functioning. The researchers claim that the results are very impressive, taking into consideration that these patients were already receiving optimal medical treatment when the device was implanted.