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Hi John-- I believe I heard you and your razor all the way down I-35 here in Norman. I like a close shave on a man but that's going too far. Good luck with DBS2. Kathy Kunz ---- Original Message ----- From: "John Cottingham" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 10:36 AM Subject: DBS Update: Neuropsychological Follow-Up > I had DBS in January on the right side of the brain to correct a tremor in > the left hand that I had 35 years. The study I am in measured my memory > before and 3 months after the procedure. At the follow-up, I was close to > being 'optimally tuned'. > > TESTING > > The testing started with time and place questions like who is the governor > and what county are you in. > > The number tests consisted of the tester reading a series of numbers and > having me repeat the series from memory. The number of digits in the numbers > became longer. > > Another test consisted of me hearing a list of items and from memory > repeating the list. After the first list was completed a different set of > words was introduced and I repeated them from memory. Each one of the tests > were repeated several times. > > After these word tests, I was asked to recall the list of words from the > first list. > > Then I was asked to indicate with a yes or no whether the word said by the > tester was in the first list. > > The next set of tests involved the tester reading a story and then I > repeated the story as exactly as I recalled. The story was repeated by the > tester and I was given the opportunity to retell it as I recalled. > > Another story was introduced and I was given the opportunity to retell it as > accurately as possible. This was repeated. > > The third part of the testing involved the tester asking questions, based on > the two stories, with two possible answers..with me giving the correct > response. > > Another test which may be gender biased involved answering a question of > what could one find in a grocery store and also what could one find in a > vegetable department. All of these responses were recorded in a specific > time frame. > > A set of flash card exercises was taken. With the flash cards, a picture > (graphic) was on each one. You had to identify them. > > Another set of flash cards had similar symbols and you had to pick the > different one of the set of three or four symbols. > > Another set of flash cards had a puzzle jumbled. You had to tell what the > object was. > > Another set of flash cards contained a part of a picture like the spout of a > tea pot and you had to tell what it was. > > Pre-DBS I had been unable to write (I write left-handed), let alone draw so > the follow-up included drawing complex diagrams, first, open book, and then > later from memory. > > DISCUSSION: > > In the eleven patient study on P-I-E-N-O, elderly men were reported to have > done poorly on the fruits part of their follow-up. This probably is more > gender based bias in this kind of test because elderly men do little of the > grocery shopping and have had a more spartan diet over the years so maybe > they have forgotten the names of fruits and vegetables. > > http://parkinsons-information-exchange-network-online.com/archive/110.html > > I did better not trying to read the tester's lips because there seems to be > an interferance in the memory process when one concentrates on visual fields > rather than turning aside and using the aureal feedback of the tester's > voice. I discovered this during the story telling portion of the tests. > > My subjective analysis of my follow-up performance was that I did fantastic > and much better than before DBS. At follow-up though, you have 'studied' the > test before. > > Parkinson's and essential tremor outcomes can be entirely different and it > all involves finding the correct 'optimal' tuning. Some with PD have had DBS > and not experienced symptomatic relief because of unrealistic expectations > and not knowing before hand that you will be living in the programmers > office until the correct program is found for you. I have some dear friends > that have given up and are back to titrating their meds on their own trying > to control dyskinesias and or/tremor. > > Have DBS done close to your support base and don't have unrealistic > expections. DBS, under your neurologist's supervision, will result in the > lowering of PD meds and their resulting side-effects. > > Next Wednesday, I am scheduled to have DBS on the left side of my brain. > > Since I shave with both hands, I had a funny thing happen yesterday. While > shaving my chin with my shaky right hand, I got the razor in my mouth > somehow..:) I won't do that again...at least for long. :) > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn