A man with Parkinson's disease reports remarkable improvements in his symptoms thanks to a pioneering brain implant. The device, which sends signals to his brain, has allowed him to regain control over his tremors and enjoy a better quality of life.
A man fitted with a pioneering, computer-controlled brain implant to tackle his Parkinson's disease says it works so well he is sometimes able to forget he has the condition. A small computer inserted into Kevin Hill's chest wall 12 months ago is connected to wires running into the implant which can send signals and read his brain activity. Surgeons in Newcastle hope the deep brain stimulation will have a 'huge impact' on the quality of life of patients with the disease.
\He began getting symptoms, including trembling in his thumb, in his 40s and started suffering nightmares and insomnia. He was banned by his wife from going into the kitchen because his hand shook so much he spilled or dropped hot drinks and even cut the end of his finger off. He was told there were medicines but no cure, but there was a new treatment – deep brain stimulation (DBS) – and tests proved he was suitable for the surgery. \NEWCASTLE HOSPITALS Mr Hill originally had to go to hospital to have the system reprogrammed, but with updates it can now do that automatically. It carries the electrical messages that can manage his Parkinson's symptoms. When it was switched on after surgery he said the impact was dramatic. After years of sleepless nights, and being unable to manage the uncontrollable shaking of his arm and leg, his tremors 'stopped instantly'. The life he once knew came back, meaning he was able to go to the pub and see his friends again. A brain implant links to the computer in Mr Hill's chest. For the last year he has had to go to hospital regularly to have his system re-programmed to better control his symptoms. Now, a new updated version called 'adaptive deep brain stimulation' has been designed to re-programme the system in real time. It can also read a patient's brain signals which doctors say should mean even better control of symptoms. \Neurosurgeon Akbar Hussain said recent changes to the device would be very significant to patients' quality of life Akbar Hussain, a neurosurgeon at Newcastle Hospitals, is one of the first doctors in the world to offer the new adaptive Brainsense treatment, developed by Medtronic. He said: 'The amazing thing about the adaptive version is that the electrical impulses provided to the brain by the device are controlled and adjusted automatically, according to individual patient's recordings from the device in their chest. 'The biological signals generated within the person themselves are enough to alter the treatment given by the implant. 'These changes could be taking place by the minute or hour, meaning the treatment is truly responsive to the exact needs of each individual. 'It's exciting. Hopefully this will have a huge impact and be very significant for the patients' quality of life.'Dr Becky Jones, from the charity Parkinson's UK, said: 'Current DBS can be life changing and has the promise to be even more effective if it could be responsive to the needs of the individual. Brainsense represents a major step towards this. 'While evidence is still being gathered to assess the benefits of adaptive DBS versus the standard type, it's great to see movement towards this becoming a new, more effective treatment for people with Parkinson's.' About 153,000 people in the UK are living with Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder affecting the brain and nervous system
Parkinson's Disease Brain Implant Deep Brain Stimulation Adaptive DBS Medical Technology
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