Date:   Mon, 2 Jun 1997 17:45:04 -0500
Subject: Lozano stim study results published.

>Parkinson's procedure offers hope to sufferers

>TORONTO (CP) - Five years ago, Gervais Cadieux was unable to control the
>ceaseless tremors in his right arm and leg.
>Today, because of an electrode implanted deep within the left side of his
>brain, he is no longer a prisoner of Parkinson's disease, the debilitating
>brain condition that affects about 100,000 Canadians.
>It's been known for about a decade that the electrical stimulation of parts
>of the brain could dramatically relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's, says
>neurosurgeon Dr. Andres Lozano of Toronto Hospital.
>But a new study, conducted by a team of Toronto researchers, explains what
>was not clear to scientists before: how the treatment works.
>The study, headed by Lozano, is published today in the journal Nature Medicine.
>For Cadieux, 66, the difference between his life before brain surgery and
>life now is "like black and white."
>The resident of Gravenhurst, Ont., points out with pride that he sunk a
>hole in one on a Florida golf course this winter, recently won a bowling
>award and can even use a chainsaw to cut wood.
>"I had nothing to look forward to and this has given me a whole new outlook
>on life. It's just fantastic."
>The study is another step forward along the path that will eventually lead
>to a cure for the progressive disease characterized by uncontrollable
>tremors and muscle rigidity, Lozano said.
>"A cure is still not within our immediate reach but I think it will be
>soon," he said.
>"Increases in our knowledge are taking place at a rapid rate."
>An electrical stimulation in one area of the brain can have a "domino
>effect," influencing activity in other areas, Lozano said.
>In people with Parkinson's, the cells that produce the chemical
>neurotransmitter dopamine die off and, as they do, healthy motor function
>becomes impaired.
>Parkinson's sufferers are comparable to people trying to drive a car with a
>foot placed firmly on the brakes, Lozano said.
>With deep brain stimulation, "we've put electrodes into the brakes of the
>brain that control movement, " he said. "And we're releasing the brakes by
>using electrical activity."
>The electrodes are surgically connected to a stimulator similar to a
>cardiac pacemaker under the collarbone.
>The stimulator is controlled by a battery-operated unit that attaches to a
>patient's belt. It delivers electrical currents to the brain, which
>interrupt the abnormal signals being sent from the diseased brain cells,
>the study showed.
>The study involved 15 patients.
>CP 0013ES 02-06-97