Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Deep brain stimulation or DBS is a neurosurgical procedure that entails putting extremely small electrodes in specific zones of the brain to manage certain neurological and psychiatric disorders. These electrodes generate electrical pulses that can help normalize the abnormal activities in the brain and therefore alleviate some symptoms that have been resistant to other medications. It can also affect brain cells and chemicals responsible for various diseases.

A small device akin to a pacemaker is placed underneath the skin in the upper chest region for regulating the level of stimulation. A thin wire runs underneath the skin connecting this device with the electrodes implanted in the brain. This setup allows for precise modification of electrical impulses according to what each patient requires.

DBS is often used to treat movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and essential tremor. In addition, it has been shown effective in treating epilepsy as well as Tourette syndrome while some psychiatric ailments such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have also benefited from it.

Before undergoing DBS your doctor will assess your condition and see if you qualify for this type of treatment or not. Often DBS decision making hinges on symptom severity together with how effective other treatments were hence weighing the risk/benefit ratio of surgery.