Electrical device could alleviate Parkinson's disease by stimulating spinal
cord
Published: 20 March 2009 10:13
Last Updated: 20 March 2009 10:13
Electrical device could alleviate Parkinson's disease by stimulating spinal
cord
A simple and cheap device that stimulates the spinal cord with electricity
could bring fresh hope to sufferers of Parkinson's disease.
Early research in mice and rats using the approach proved to be dramatically
effective and experts believe if the technique works in humans it could
provide a passport to normal living for thousands of Parkinson's patients.
The progressive disease affects motor nerves in the brain, causing tremors,
loss of balance and muscle stiffness. Drugs can reduce symptoms in the early
stages but then often cease to be effective.
Around 120,000 people in the UK suffer from Parkinson's, with 10,000 new
cases diagnosed each year. One radical remedy for the condition is deep
brain stimulation (DBS), which involves inserting carefully placed
electrodes deep into the brain. But the treatment is costly, invasive and
not suitable for everyone.
The new stimulation therapy, targeting the spinal cord instead of the brain,
would be much easier and cheaper to administer.
Researchers in the US tested a spinal stimulation device on rats and mice
with depleted levels of the brain chemical dopamine, whose symptoms mimic
those of Parkinson's. When the device was turned on, their slow, stiff
movements disappeared.
Rayilyn Brown
Director AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation
rbrown@xxxxxxxxx
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