A new implantable device controlled by a person’s brain activity could provide 24-hour personalized care for people suffering from the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
According to the researchers, this approach, called adaptive deep brain stimulation, could treat daytime movement problems and nighttime insomnia.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) typically involves implanting thin wires called electrodes into specific spots in the brain. These wires deliver electrical signals to relieve symptoms.
However, conventional techniques provide a constant level of stimulation and can lead to unwanted side effects because the brain does not always require the same strength of treatment.
Experts believe the device is an improvement on current techniques that have been used for years to treat Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease that experts say President Joe Biden suffers from.
Symptoms can include uncontrollable tremors, slow movements and muscle stiffness, but experts say they often don’t occur until about 80 percent of the nerve cells have already been lost.
This new device uses data taken directly from a person’s brain and learns to adjust stimulation levels in real time, allowing it to intervene effectively to manage symptoms when needed.
For example, in a patient who suffers from slower movements, there are fewer signals in the brain related to movement.
The device detects when these brain signals fall below a certain threshold and responds with precisely calibrated electrical pulses.
This stimulation will in turn immediately improve the patient’s speed of movement.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that leads to the destruction and death of nerve cells that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates body movements.
Without dopamine, patients experience balance problems, tremors throughout the body, stiff limbs and slow movements.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, about 90,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year, and 10 to 20 percent of them are under age 50.
Experts still don’t know what causes Parkinson’s disease, but there are indications that genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to harsh chemicals and pesticides, may be the culprits.
Several doctors have told DailyMail.com they suspect Biden, 81, has Parkinson’s disease, but many wish to remain anonymous for fear of negative reactions.
However, Dr. W. Chris Winter, a neurologist in Virginia, and Dr. Abhi Kapuria, a neurologist at the University of North Carolina, told this website that they suspected the president was suffering from neurological problems.
Experts speculate that President Joe Biden is suffering from the neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson’s disease
A stiff gait can also be a symptom of Parkinson’s disease
Difficulty walking occurs in approximately 90 percent of patients with Parkinson’s disease
Both declined to make an “online diagnosis” and reiterated that they had not personally examined him.
However, they did say they suspected neurological problems. Dr. Winter said the president had a “laundry list” of hallmark symptoms of the condition, from a stiff gait and balance problems to a soft voice and slurring his words.
The president and the White House have repeatedly denied that Biden has Parkinson’s disease.
As part of a study published in Nature Medicine, four Parkinson’s disease patients already receiving DBS were asked what they found to be the most bothersome symptom.
In most cases, these were involuntary movements (tremors) or difficulty initiating movement.
Participants then received the new treatment in addition to their existing DBS therapy, alternating between the two treatments every few days.
Analysis showed that the new device reduced each participant’s most bothersome symptoms by 50 percent, compared with conventional DBS.
This is the first time that a so-called ‘closed loop’ brain implant technology has been shown to work in patients with Parkinson’s disease while they continue with their daily lives.
Lead author Dr Philip Starr from the University of California San Francisco said: ‘This is the future of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease.’
The researchers said their findings represent a “major step forward” in developing a system that adapts to what an individual patient needs at any given time.
Dr Simon Little, who also worked on the device, said: ‘The big change we’ve achieved with adaptive DBS is that we can identify in real time where a patient is on the symptom spectrum and match that with the exact amount of stimulation they need.’