Overview
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) involves implanting electrodes within areas of the brain. The electrodes produce electrical impulses that affect brain activity to treat certain medical conditions. The electrical impulses also can affect cells and chemicals within the brain that cause medical conditions.
The amount of stimulation in deep brain stimulation is controlled by a pacemaker-like device placed under the skin in the upper chest. A wire that travels under the skin connects this device to the electrodes in the brain.
Deep brain stimulation is commonly used to treat a number of conditions, such as:
- Parkinson’s disease.
- Essential tremor.
- Conditions that cause dystonia, such as Meige syndrome.
- Epilepsy.
- Tourette syndrome.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Deep brain stimulation also is being studied as a potential treatment for:
- Chorea, such as Huntington’s disease.
- Chronic pain.
- Cluster headache.
- Dementia.
- Depression.
- Addiction.
- Obesity.
Why it’s done
Deep brain stimulation is an established treatment for people with movement conditions. These conditions include essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease and dystonia. It’s also used for psychiatric conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. And deep brain stimulation has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment to reduce seizures in hard-to-treat epilepsy.
Deep brain stimulation is used in people whose symptoms aren’t controlled with medicines.
