Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: defining the optimal location within the subthalamic nucleus.

Background: Individual motor improvement after deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) for Parkinson's disease (PD) varies considerably. Stereotactic targeting of the dorsolateral sensorimotor part of the STN is considered paramount for maximising effectiveness, but studies employing the midcommissural point (MCP) as anatomical reference failed to show correlation between DBS location and motor improvement. The medial border of the STN as reference may provide better insight in the relationship between DBS location and clinical outcome.

Transient gender-related effects in Parkinson's disease patients with subthalamic stimulation.

Little is known about the gender-related long-term efficacy and safety after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) implant for Parkinson's disease (PD), although some differences could be expected as recently stated in a short-term report. We assessed the possible gender-related differences in clinical outcome and disease progression along a 5-year period after STN DBS for PD. A prospective cohort of PD patients who underwent STN DBS and reached the 5-year follow-up (FU) was considered.