Dr. Jerrold L. Vitek, Udall Director and Chair of the Department of Neurology, discussed in a November 5th Star Tribune article the progress and potential of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to help patients struggling with a variety of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD). The research uses a method called "closed-loop stimulation" in its DBS procedures, which triggers pulses only when abnormal neural patterns are recognized. This new method also has the potential to reduce post-surgery side effects, such as headaches and dizziness. "This [procedure] has already gone far beyond what anyone thought it could be," said Dr. Vitek. "But we believe that we can fine-tune this even more, so people can have a much better quality of life." Dr. Vitek and his colleagues are also seeking to develop a novel pattern of stimulation called coordinated reset that he says "is a very new and exciting approach." Both closed-loop stimulation and "coordinated reset" "are novel and will provide additional benefits for patients with PD who undergo DBS," says Dr. Vitek.
Twin Cities Father to Undergo Cutting-Edge Brain Surgery at U.