Types Of Deep Brain Stimulation Essay

Parkinson disease (PD) is one of the most common neurologic disorders. and it affects approximately 1% of individuals older than 60 years old. Parkinson’s disease is a condition that progresses slowly by treatment. In addition, loss of pigmented dopaminergic neurons of the substantianigra pars compacta and the presence of Lewy bodies and Lewyneurites are the two major neuropathologic findings in Parkinson disease (Hauser, 2016).

In the past twenty years, many drugs have been developed to treat the disease. Although the cause of Parkinson's disease is still unknown, scientists have been developing methods of treatment and therapy. The idea is to replace dopamine in the brain, which is accomplished, to some extent, with the administration of L-Dopa. In conjunction with other drugs, L- Dopa "inhibits the enzymes that break down L-dopa in the liver, thus making a greater part of it available to the brain" (5). This treatment is very successful, but it only hinders the disease for a time and it is by no means a cure. That leaves us with stem-cells and the role they play in treatment of Parkinson's disease.

The brain is one of the most complex organ in our bodies. To learn about the brain scientists use electrical stimulation. Electrical stimulation is the use of electrical probes to determine functions of the brain. Clinical observation of patients have also helped scientists learn more about the brain. Case studies of different patients such as Phineas Gage have helped to learn about the different functions of the brain and how they work together to perform complex activities. (Barron’s AP Psychology 6th Edition)

Parkinson’s disease is a “neurodegenerative disorder of the basal nuclei due to insufficient secretion of the neurotransmitter dopamine” (Marieb & Hoehn, 2013, p. G-17). The cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown, but many factors play a role in the development of Parkinson’s disease. One factor that has been found in an individual who has Parkinson’s disease causes over activity of targeted dopamine-deprived basal nuclei. This over activity is caused by the breakdown of neurons that release dopamine in the substantia nigra (Marieb & Hoehn, 2013). Another factor that is present in a person who has Parkinson’s disease, is the presence of lewy bodies in the brain stem ("What is lbd?," 2014). Lewy bodies are unusual

The major component shared by both Parkinson’s disease and dementia is the functioning of neurons, with a then understandable association. Dementia is caused by neuron demise or diminished capacity of communication with other cells, while Parkinson’s disease, neurons in the basal ganglia experience deterioration that disrupts the normal neurotransmitter dopamine balance where neurons waste and die. With this shared neuron deterioration, the prevalence of dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease is clearly understood. One-third of all patients with Parkinson’s disease will display dementia (LeMone, Burke, & Bauldoff, 2011) with indicators identical to Alzheimer’s form of dementia.

“Genetic engineering and drug development can cure and therapies of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, so embryonic stem cells in not the only way to treat patients” (McLean 3). People witness the development of cancer treatments with the enhancement of more effective drugs. Also, nanotechnology allows scientists to deliver drugs only to the cancerous cells, so that the nearby healthy cells remain unaffected. Genetic engineering provides prospect in curing Parkinson’s disease which causes loss of body control. “Scientists develop Parkinson’s disease in laboratory mice to and genetically engineer their nerve cells to make them become light sensitive. When these nerve cells are exposed to light, then nerve impulses travel along them and the mice are again able to move their bodies” (McLean 4). People speculate that this discovery can be used to cure Parkinson’s in humans. Critics of embryonic stem cell research believe that people don’t need to pursuing embryonic stem cell research will be negated by promising advances in drug development and genetic

Some dopaminergic (i.e., dopamine-releasing) neurons run from the substantia nigra to the corpus striatum; their loss gives rise to the clinical manifestations of Parkinson's Disease (Korczyn 1994); others, involved in the rewarding effects of drugs and natural stimuli, run from the mesencephalon to the nucleunucleus accumbens.

There are two specific sites inside the brain have been most commonly targeted for deep-brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease are the subthalamic nucleus and the internal segment of the globus pallidus (Okun 2012). Both are nuclei in the basal ganglia, where a majority of degenerative change in Parkinson's disease occurs (Okun 2012). There are many adverse effects from having deep brain stimulators implanted; the two that stand out are infection and intracranial hemorrhage. These are a major problem as they can be the reason why deep brain stimulators are removed. While deep brain stimulators can be very helpful, the safeness and outcome are not set in stone and one should be careful considering it for

Drug addiction is an illness that often requires multiple treatments to cure. However, a new treatment seems to promise a whole new world of potential for people who are suffering from addiction: transcranial magnetic stimulation. Although this procedure hasn't yet been approved for use in treating addiction, early studies have shown a lot of promise.

Parkinson’s disease is affected by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons which is responsible to produce dopamine. Dopaminergic neurons have their cell bodies in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) in basal ganglia (O’Sullivan and Schmitz, 2007). Basal ganglia are a collection of interconnected gray matter nuclear masses deep within the brain”. These gray matter masses are caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus and the substantia nigra. Basal ganglia receive its input through striatum (O’Sullivan and Schmitz, 2007).

Although the brain can be viewed as different brain regions, these regions couldn’t work independently. Each brain region can affect and effect on the other regions either directly or indirectly. While the decreased dopamine level in the basal ganglia represents the major target for clinical and experimental research (Hornykiewicz, 2006), much evidence suggests the involvement of cerebellum dysfunction in addition to basal ganglia in mediating many of Parkinsonian symptoms (Wu and Hallett, 2013).

The time to consider Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery is when quality of life is no longer acceptable on optimal medical therapy as administered by a movement disorders neurologist. The major risks are a 1% risk of stroke causing a permanent deficit, due to bleeding in the brain, and a 2-5% chance of infection. DBS is a relatively complex therapy that requires regular neurological follow-up and battery changes every 3-4 years.

Attempts to cure or slow down the progression of Parkinson’s disease have largely failed; researchers in this paper maintain this is obviously a direct result of the lack of insight into the pathogenesis of the disease. Parkinson’s disease is the product of the deaths of a number of dopaminergic (dopamine-secreting) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta region (SNc) of the brain. But what causes these deaths? In the paper “‘Rejuvenation’ protects neurons in mouse models of Parkinson’s disease,” Chen and researchers find that older neurons in the SNc are unusually reliant on calcium channels and that after blocking these channels, the cells are “rejuvenated” and begin acting like their juvenile counterparts; as a

It has been known that PD is a disorder affecting the basal ganglia. The term basal ganglia is generally applied to a collection of nuclei situated deep within the cerebral hemispheres, lying laterally to the thalamus (Gazzeniga, George, and Mangun, 2008). The basal ganglia are important subcortical structures. They are composed of five nuclei: caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, and substantia nigra. These nuclei are not thought of a single anatomical entity; rather, they form a functional unity whose contribution is greatly to motor control. Interestingly, this system does not influence movement through spinal cord pathways, but rather acts as part of a feedback loop to all areas of the cerebral cortex, with primary input into motor areas (Aird, 2000). A number of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters are what control this whole process, and a balance of both is required to ensure that smooth, purposeful movement takes place. In order to understand the pathways of which the basal ganglia take part in, it is essential to know the input and output connections of the basal ganglia. The input

causes or attributing factors to Parkinson disease pesticides, toxins, chemicals genetic factors head trauma. The person most at risk to Parkinson disease are males, males are slightly more likely to develop Parkinson's disease compared to females. The treatment available for Parkinson disease is surgery, surgery is an option to treat Parkinson s disease symptoms, but it is not suitable for everyone. There are strict criteria and guidelines on who can be a candidate for surgery and this is something that only your doctor and you can decide when performing deep-brain stimulation surgery, the surgeon places an electrode in the part ofthe brain most effected by Parkinson's disease. Electrical impulses are introduced to the brain, which has the