Deep brain stimulation is a technique developed in Grenoble by Prof. Benabid’s team at the end of the 1980s. It aims to reduce symptoms such as tremors or muscle stiffness by stimulating a specific area of the brain with an electric current. located under the thalamus. Electrodes are connected to a battery implanted under the collarbone. The system resembles a cardiac pacemaker. The operation itself can take 6 to 15 hours. Thereafter, drug therapy is gradually reduced. The patient needs 6 to 12 months for his body to fully adapt to these changes and for his motor state to stabilize. People who have been operated on generally recover from 30% to 90% of their means. The stimulation will not, however, prevent the progression of the disease.
Who does this concern?
Only 10 to 15% of patients can use stimulation. Most often, they declared the disease before the age of 70. Drug treatment has generally been effective for them, but the more time passes, the more ineffective it becomes during the day. The patient should not have other health problems. Stimulation is not indicated for people who have problems with memory and concentration. 20 of the 23 French university hospitals (CHUs) perform these procedures. Among these, we find the hospitals of Lille, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Clermont-Ferrand, Strasbourg, Rennes, Nantes, La Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris… The operation is reimbursed by Social Security.
Research is progressing
After this major advance in brain stimulation, the hopes of patients are now based on other promising techniques. Among these, gene therapy or neuron transplantation. The goal of these treatments will be to stop the progression of the disease or to replace the missing neurons.