John and everyone,
Re your DBS questions -
Every major teaching center is
conducting studies on the neuropsychological
and neurophysiological effects of stimulation on the cognitive
process.
Several are in the NYU Medical Center study and I am in a local study
here
in Oklahoma City.
The 11 patient study said:
Discussion:
When did you have your dbs procedure done? MAY
1999
What if any of the above did you experience?
The non-predominate hand was weaker after dbs. NO
Rapid visual scanning and transposition were also found to be impaired.
NO
Bimanual co-ordination may decline following bilateral STN DBS,
especially
under conditions involving divided attention.
NOT SURE
Some patients complained of feeling ‘more clumsy’ yet ‘quicker’,
probably
indicating their reduction in bradykinesia, but had increased
difficulties
when motor tasks required more complex mental processes for
successful
execution. YES
The majority of patients declined significantly on phonemic fluency
and
category/semantic fluency and did not recover over the first follow-up
year.
YES SIGNIFICANT DECREASE.
In your opinion are you optimally tuned?
PROBABLY
Have you had any behavioral changes?
LESS MOTIVATION TO INITIATE AND DO THINGS
What percentage reduction of medication have you achieved since
your
procedure? FROM 9-10 SINEMET PER DAY TO 1/2 TAB /DAY REQUIP
22 MG / DAY TO 6 MG /DAY AMANTIDINE STAYED AT 300
MG/DAY
Is your attention span
less now?
SOME DECREASE
Have you noticed any degradation of your creative skills since the
procedure?
MILD
Is multi-tasking more difficult now?
NO
If you were given anti-seizure medicine after the procedure, how long
did
you have to take it?
NOT GIVEN
EVEN WITH THE NEGATIVES I RECOMMEND THE PROCEDURE FOR THOSE WHO
ARE SEVERELY DEBILITATED BY PD. I NO LONGER FREEZE- EVER- AND
HAVE MORE MOBILITY THAN BEFORE THE SURGERY. I AM ABLE TO
DRIVE SHORT DISTANCES AND NO LONGER USE MY WHEEL CHAIR EXCEPT FOR
TRAVELING. I USE A WALKER BECAUSE OF POLIO I HAD AS A CHILD BUT CAN
WALK SHORT DISTANCES UNASSISTED.
GOOD LUCK JOHN AND MARGARET.
CHARLIE
Charles T. Meyer, M.D.
Middleton, WI
PD DX 12 years (at age 44)
Age 56