For those unresponsive to medication, Parkinson’s symptoms greatly reduce quality of life. A study of brain focused ultrasound vs a sham procedure sought to identify responders 3 months posttreatment. Among the results of the 65 patients in the ultrasound group and 22 in the sham group:
- After 3 months: 69% vs 32% responded to treatment
- After 1 year: 70% of the ultrasound group responded
- 20 patients originally in the sham group underwent the ultrasound therapy and responded to the treatment
Coauthor Howard Eisenberg, MD a neurosurgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center, commented, “These results are very promising and offer Parkinson’s disease patients a new form of therapy to manage their symptoms.” The study concluded, “Unilateral pallidal ultrasound ablation resulted in a higher percentage of patients who had improved motor function or reduced dyskinesia than a sham procedure over a period of 3 months but was associated with adverse events. Longer and larger trials are required to determine the effect and safety of this technique in persons with Parkinson’s disease.”
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