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Cognitive decline seen after deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease Source: Reuters I don't think this applies to me as I have been more intellectually productive after than before my DBSs in 2003. Ray Date: 14 July 2008 Mild impairments in frontostriatal cognitive function can occur in patients who undergo bilateral subthalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease, according to a report in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry for July. "Potential (DBS) candidates should be counseled about the risk of mild cognitive declines following surgery so that they can weigh the risks and benefits," Dr. M. K. York, from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and colleagues emphasize. In the new study, the researchers used standard tests to assess cognitive function at baseline and six months later in 23 patients treated with DBS and 28 who received medical therapy. DBS was associated with a significant decline in verbal memory (p < 0.003), the investigators note. Moreover, there was also evidence that DBS led to impairments in oral information processing, including verbal fluency, timed transcription, and word naming. Lastly, one patient treated with DBS, but none given medical therapy, converted to dementia during the study. Declines in attention, set shifting, and semantic fluency were also noted in the DBS group, but the changes were on par with what was seen in the medically treated patients. Testing using reliable change indices supported an adverse effect for DBS on frontostriatal function. By contrast, DBS did not seem to cause depression, anxiety, or psychological distress. "The need for future research investigating the long-term impact of these vital cognitive processes, their impact on the patient's daily functioning, and their correlation with neuroimaging studies is clear," the authors state. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2008;79:789-795 Rayilyn Brown Director AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson 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