30th March 2008 - New research
ADVERSE EVENTS AFTER DBS SURGERY
Movement Disorders [2008] 23 : 343-349 (A Videnovic, L Verhagen Metman)
Complete abstract
DBS is a surgical method of treating Parkinson's Disease that uses
electrodes implanted into the brain. For more information go to Deep Brain
Stimulation. Traditionally, the two most common sites in the brain used in
surgery are the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the globus pallidus interna
(GPi). The authors analysed reports of adverse events from over a thousand
patients who had undergone DBS surgery. The most common adverse events were,
in order : weight gain, then confusion, then speech difficulties. Neither
part of the brain that was used had clearly fewer adverse events than the
other. Adverse events related to DBS surgery are common, but the study
authors concluded that their true prevalence cannot be accurately determined
with current reporting methods. For more information go to the Complete
article The most common adverse events were :
Procedure related events (% of STN / % of GPi) : Mental status / behaviour
(mostly confusion) 18% / 9%, Infection 2% / 3%, ICH-symptomatic 2% / 4%,
Misplaced electrode 2% / 2%, Speech disturbance 2% / 4%, Infarction 1% / 2%.
Stimulation or progression related events (% of STN / % of GPi) : Weight
gain 37% / 18%, Dysarthria (speech disorder) 13% / 12%, Eye opening apraxia
11% / 0%, Gait ignition failure 0% / 17%.
Hardware-related events (Combined % of STN and GPi) : One or more events 9%,
Infection 2%, Malfunctioning 1%, Lack of benefit 1%.
29th March 2008 - New research
HEAD INJURY CAUSING PARKINSON'S DISEASE
American journal of neuroradiology [2008] 29 (2) : 388-391 (Hähnel S,
Stippich C, Weber I, Darm H, Schill T, Jost J, Friedmann B, Heiland S,
Blatow M, Meyding-Lamadé U.) Complete abstract
Parkinsonism Related Disorders [2008] Mar 24; [Epub ahead of print]
(Spangenberg S, Hannerz H, Tuchsen F, Mikkelsen KL.) Complete abstract
A few years after the end of his boxing career during which he was the three
time world heavyweight world champion, Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with
Parkinson's Disease. It has been widely both claimed and denied that he had
developed Parkinson's Disease due to blows to the head he received as a
boxer. In boxing, the head is hit at a high speed and with great force. This
can lead to shear movement between different brain tissues, resulting in
microhemorrhages. In the "Heidelberg Boxing Study" high-resolution MRI data
were used to search for tiny changes in the brains of amateur boxers and a
comparison group of non-boxers. These changes were suggested as the most
likely precursors for later severe brain damage in Parkinson's Disease.
Microhemorrhages were found in some of the boxers, while in the comparison
group of non-boxers there were no such changes. However the difference
between the two groups was found to be statistically insignificant. So there
was no evidence that boxing causes Parkinson's Disease.
Another study assessed the association between severe head injury and
Parkinson's disease. Everybody in Denmark who was older than 20 at the
beginning of 1981 was followed for the next three years for hospitalisation
due to previous head trauma, and for hospital contacts due to Parkinson's
Disease for the following 20 years. The number of observed cases of
Parkinson's Disease among people at hypothetical risk due to previous head
injury was even less than would be generally expected. So contrary to what
is widely assumed, the study provides no support at all for severe head
injury among adults being a risk factor for Parkinson's disease.
Rayilyn Brown
Board Member AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation
rbrown@xxxxxxxxx
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