Surgeons fight Parkinson's disease

LONDON, Aug. 12 — British doctors are conducting world's first clinical trials of a pioneering “deep brain stimulation” treatment that could ease the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Neurosurgeons at London's Imperial College Healthcare will use mini‑pacemakers to stimulate areas of the brain affected by the crippling condition.

Local media has said pilot studies have shown the procedure can relieve common symptoms of advanced Parkinson's such as falling over.

Surgeons at the Imperial College will start trials next month on a new treatment which targets a deeper part of the brain than ever before.

Doctors will implant a battery‑operated pacemaker into a patient chest. This will deliver an electric current to leads implanted in the brain.

The electric signal replicates dopamine, the chemical which allows messages to be sent to parts of the brain that co‑ordinate movement. Parkinson's kills cells that produce the chemical.

Deep brain stimulation has helped more than 130 patients in the UK, but the new procedure will bring hope to thousands who have been told they do not respond to existing treatments.

Experts believe up to 10 percent of Britain's 120,000 Parkinson's sufferers could be helped by deep‑brain stimulation or other forms of brain surgery. (PNA/APP)

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