A brain implant has allowed a Parkinson's patient to "forget about" his debilitating condition for days at a time. Kevin Hill, a 65-year-old from Sunderland, received a computer-controlled device in his chest wall, connected to wires that run into his brain. The system delivers precision electrical signals to manage his symptoms, and thanks to a recent upgrade, it can now automatically read and respond to his brain activity in real time.
The impact was immediate and dramatic. "I forget about Parkinson's for days and days and days," Hill told the BBC. Before the implant, his symptoms were so severe his wife banned him from the kitchen – his hand tremors caused him to spill hot drinks and even led to a finger injury. When doctors activated the device after surgery, his tremors "stopped instantly," reducing Hill to tears of joy.
The technology, called adaptive deep brain stimulation (DBS), represents a major advancement over traditional treatments. Dr. Akbar Hussain, a neurosurgeon at Newcastle Hospitals and one of the first doctors worldwide to offer this Brainsense treatment, explains: "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."
"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," says Dr. Becky Jones from Parkinson's UK, highlighting the technology's promise for the 153,000 UK residents living with the condition.
"The biological signals generated within the person themselves are enough to alter the treatment given by the implant," Dr. Hussain notes. "These changes could be taking place by the minute or hour, meaning the treatment is truly responsive to the exact needs of each individual."
Previously:
• Tech startup successfully implants dopamine into Parkinson's patients
• Shake: a typeface of letters written by someone with Parkinson's disease
• Woman can identify early-stage Parkinson's by smell
• Parkinson's is the world's fastest-growing neurological disorder. This chemical compound could be to blame
• Parkinson's drug causes compulsive gambling?