New brain pacemaker implanted for the first time

Cologne doctors are implanting a new brain pacemaker for the first time

At the University Hospital Cologne, physicians have successfully implanted a Parkinson's disease patient with a new brain pacemaker model that has eight contacts on each side of the brain instead of the usual four. So the new device should not only work more efficiently but also have fewer side effects on other brain regions.

Previous brain pacemakers have been implanted 50,000 times
So-called brain pacemakers have long been used for example for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (shaking palsy), essential tremor and dystonia. In the scientifically as „Deep brain stimulation“ In the described method, the patients are implanted in the patient in a medical intervention electrodes in the brain to correct disease-related errors by means of minimal electrical impulses. About subcutaneously laid lines, the electrodes are connected to a pulse generator in the chest or the upper abdomen. So far, around 50,000 patients have been implanted with brain pacemakers worldwide.

More efficient thanks to additional electrodes
The new model can be used more individually and differentiated than its predecessors, so the statement at the University Hospital Cologne. The device is currently still in the test phase and will be used in the coming months, initially 40 people to study the impact on patients with additional studies. The implantation in the 58-year-old Parkinson's patient is the prelude to the planned test phase. First results could be available in the end of next year according to the scientists. „The new brain pacemaker is a milestone in Parkinson's therapy, as we no longer have four but eight contacts on each side of the brain“, emphasized Prof. Lars Timmermann from the University Hospital Cologne with presentation of the current operation success.

New brain pacemaker has fewer side effects
The researchers assume that thanks to the eight contacts on each side of the brain, the new device can be better dosed and specific regions of the brain can be addressed in a more targeted manner, so that fewer side effects such as speech disorders due to the irritation of neighboring regions occur. Especially shaking palsy typical and in everyday life extremely cumbersome shaking so targeted and without side effects „blocked“ become. Parkinson's disease symptoms such as stiffness (rigor) and lack of physical activity (bradykinesis) can also be treated with the help of the brain pacemaker. (fp, 10.11.2010)

Picture credits: Dieter Schütz