Investigating the Effectiveness of Deep Brain Stimulation

Using mild electrical signals to stimulate the brain has helped one musician overcome the neurological condition that prevented him from playing the violin, and experts say that the treatment -- known as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) -- can be effective for many individuals suffering from essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy.
Roger Frisch, an associate concertmaster with the Minnesota Orchestra who was diagnosed with essential tumor in 2009, recently underwent the procedure at the Mayo Clinic, hoping to put an end to the abnormal cerebral signals that caused his bow-hand to shake as he played. His operation was the topic of an ABC News report, which showed video of Frisch playing the instrument while undergoing deep brain stimulation in an attempt to help doctors find the trouble area.

In Frisch's case, Dr. Kendall Lee, the director of the Mayo Clinic Neural Engineering Laboratory, and his team were able to find the affected area of his brain and fix the problem using a pair of electrodes and a pacemaker they had placed in the brain. According to ABC News reports, Frisch regained full use of his hands before the surgery was even complete, causing the operating room to break out in spontaneous applause.

The Deep Brain Stimulation procedure was developed in Europe and was first used in the U.S. by Mayo Clinic neurosurgeons in 1997. According to the medical center's official website, they have also started to use DBS to treat individuals suffering from OCD, cluster headaches, and chronic pain in cases where other methods of treatment prove unsuccessful.

Furthermore, reports MayoClinic.com, the procedure has "dramatically changed the lives of many patients with uncontrollable tremors. Patients often can resume normal activities, such as feeding and dressing themselves, and can have active and fulfilling lives. The need for anti-tremor medications is often reduced or eliminated."

A study published earlier this month in the journal Epilepsia found that, of 110 epilepsy patients who had been implanted with DBS devices, 54-percent reported that the frequency of their seizures had been reduced by half. Furthermore, 14 of the 110 individuals did not suffer a single seizure over a five month span. The Food and Drug Administration has not officially approved DBS for use in epilepsy patients, but an advisory committee recently recommended that they do so.