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PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS 30th March 2008 - New research ADVERSE EVENTS AFTER DBS SURGERY Movement Disorders [2008] 23 : 343-349 (A Videnovic, L Verhagen Metman) Complete abstract DBS is a surgical method of treating Parkinson's Disease that uses electrodes implanted into the brain. For more information go to Deep Brain Stimulation. Traditionally, the two most common sites in the brain used in surgery are the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the globus pallidus interna (GPi). The authors analysed reports of adverse events from over a thousand patients who had undergone DBS surgery. The most common adverse events were, in order : weight gain, then confusion, then speech difficulties. Neither part of the brain that was used had clearly fewer adverse events than the other. Adverse events related to DBS surgery are common, but the study authors concluded that their true prevalence cannot be accurately determined with current reporting methods. For more information go to the Complete article The most common adverse events were : Procedure related events (% of STN / % of GPi) : Mental status / behaviour (mostly confusion) 18% / 9%, Infection 2% / 3%, ICH-symptomatic 2% / 4%, Misplaced electrode 2% / 2%, Speech disturbance 2% / 4%, Infarction 1% / 2%. Stimulation or progression related events (% of STN / % of GPi) : Weight gain 37% / 18%, Dysarthria (speech disorder) 13% / 12%, Eye opening apraxia 11% / 0%, Gait ignition failure 0% / 17%. Hardware-related events (Combined % of STN and GPi) : One or more events 9%, Infection 2%, Malfunctioning 1%, Lack of benefit 1%. 29th March 2008 - New research HEAD INJURY CAUSING PARKINSON'S DISEASE American journal of neuroradiology [2008] 29 (2) : 388-391 (Hähnel S, Stippich C, Weber I, Darm H, Schill T, Jost J, Friedmann B, Heiland S, Blatow M, Meyding-Lamadé U.) Complete abstract Parkinsonism Related Disorders [2008] Mar 24; [Epub ahead of print] (Spangenberg S, Hannerz H, Tuchsen F, Mikkelsen KL.) Complete abstract A few years after the end of his boxing career during which he was the three time world heavyweight world champion, Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. It has been widely both claimed and denied that he had developed Parkinson's Disease due to blows to the head he received as a boxer. In boxing, the head is hit at a high speed and with great force. This can lead to shear movement between different brain tissues, resulting in microhemorrhages. In the "Heidelberg Boxing Study" high-resolution MRI data were used to search for tiny changes in the brains of amateur boxers and a comparison group of non-boxers. These changes were suggested as the most likely precursors for later severe brain damage in Parkinson's Disease. Microhemorrhages were found in some of the boxers, while in the comparison group of non-boxers there were no such changes. However the difference between the two groups was found to be statistically insignificant. So there was no evidence that boxing causes Parkinson's Disease. Another study assessed the association between severe head injury and Parkinson's disease. Everybody in Denmark who was older than 20 at the beginning of 1981 was followed for the next three years for hospitalisation due to previous head trauma, and for hospital contacts due to Parkinson's Disease for the following 20 years. The number of observed cases of Parkinson's Disease among people at hypothetical risk due to previous head injury was even less than would be generally expected. So contrary to what is widely assumed, the study provides no support at all for severe head injury among adults being a risk factor for Parkinson's disease. Rayilyn Brown Board Member AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn