Parkinson's sufferers can live a more normal life

Advances in brain pacemaker reduces tremors, helps Parkinson's sufferers live a more normal life.A treatment for Parkinson's Disease, called deep brain stimulation, implants electrical leads directly into brain tissue that deliver pulses of electricity. Improvements from the procedure can include reduced tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement. The cost for devices and surgery can range from $35,000 to $100,000, and is typically covered by private insurance and Medicare because of FDA approval.

It is most definitely brain surgery.

The skull is opened, and electrical leads are implanted directly into the tissue of the brain. These wires are connected to a small device that sends a small dose of electricity into the brain. The treatment, called deep brain stimulation, means patients suffering from neurological disorders like Parkinson's Disease can have the chance to live a normal life without constantly fighting their own bodies.

Tremors, or involuntary shaking while a limb is at rest, can be noticeably reduced or even eliminated. Patients regain mobility and are able to walk and even talk normally. YouTube is filled with hundreds of videos demonstrating the "life-changing" effects of a DBS device when active, as well as what patient functionality returns to when the device is turned off.

Popularly known as a "brain pacemaker," deep brain stimulation works by blocking errant signals from damaged brain cells to "reset" the brain's natural rhythm, said Dr. Michael Okun, the medical director of the Parkinson's Foundation and chairman for the Department of Neurology at the University of Florida.

During surgery a hole is inserted into the patient's skull and electrical leads are implanted directly into the brain's tissue. The leads are threaded out, and the skull is closed. These wires are threaded behind the ears, down the neck and to the front chest area, where they are connected to a watch-size device that emits a controlled amount of electricity. The entire unit, from wires to generator, are all buried just below the skin.

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