Abstract

Neuropsychiatric Effects of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson Disease in China: A Prospectively Controlled Study

Author(s): Yi Xie, Junjian Zhang, Jinsong Xiao

Background:

The effects of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on motor symptoms receive much attention, but neuropsychiatric outcomes require further study in China.

Aim:

To investigate the influence of STN-DBS on neuropsychiatric outcomes in patients with PD and the predictive factors in China.

Methods:

We compared 6-month clinical and neuropsychiatric data between 21 PD patients selected for STN-DBS group and 21 PD patients who only received dopatherapy with Mann-Whitney test or independent t test. Main outcome measures included motor symptoms, orientation and attention, memory, verbal fluency, language and visuospatial ability, disease stage, activity of daily life (ADL), anxiety, depression and drug complications. The correlations between baseline data and clinical outcomes were calculated by linear regression.

Results:

Motor abilities (p=0.000), ADL (p=0.047), depression (p=0.009), anxiety (p=0.003) and dopaminergic dosage (p=0.000) outcomes were markedly superior in the DBS group versus control group. No significant changes occurred in global cognition or specific cognitive domains. We also detected negative correlations between motor symptoms and ADL (p=0.002), suggesting recovery in motor symptoms can help predict ADL improvement.

Conclusion:

STN-DBS is a preferable solution to advanced PD in China considering its beneficial effects in motor abilities, ADL, anxiety, depression, dopaminergic medication dosage and cognitive function. ADL improvement can be attributed to recovery in motor symptoms.