Parkinson's Disease Symptoms Significantly Improved By Non-Surgical Ultrasound Treatment [View all]

The minimally invasive approach could be a great option where drug treatments have been unsuccessful.
Laura Simmons - Editor and Staff Writer

LAURA SIMMONS
Editor and Staff Writer

Feb 23, 2023 9:01 AM

A non-surgical, focused ultrasound procedure has been found in a clinical trial to significantly improve symptoms in some patients with Parkinson’s disease. Nearly 70 percent of the treated patients responded well to the procedure, with two-thirds of these continuing to experience positive results a year later.

There is still no cure for Parkinson’s disease, which is estimated to affect 1 million people in the USA alone. Treatment usually starts with medication to try to correct the decrease in the neurotransmitter dopamine, caused by the degeneration of specific populations of nerve cells in the brain.

These drug treatments can be very helpful in allowing people to better manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as difficulties with movement and coordination, but they do also come with side effects and dosages need to be carefully adjusted to suit the individual.

If medications are no longer working well, another option is surgery to implant an electrode into the brain, to deliver a therapy called deep brain stimulation – something that is not solely used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Again, this treatment can be effective; but, since it involves surgery, it does carry a small risk of infection or brain hemorrhage.

More:
https://www.iflscience.com/parkinson-s-disease-symptoms-significantly-improved-by-non-surgical-ultrasound-treatment-67672