Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive condition that typically occurs in advanced age and is caused by a reduction in a substance called dopamine in the brain. The disease usually begins with symptoms appearing on one side of the body and progresses slowly. Slowed movements, resting tremors resembling counting money, stiffness and rigidity in the joints, small steps and gait disturbances while walking are the most significant disease symptoms that affect patients’ quality of life. In addition to these complaints and symptoms, speech disorders, mask-like facial expression due to loss of facial expressions, constipation due to reduced intestinal movements, reduced sense of smell, tension and pain in the joints and muscles, sleep problems, depression, and some psychological problems can also be counted among the significant symptoms that cause considerable discomfort for the patient.

Deep brain stimulation is a surgical technique used to alleviate symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. This treatment can improve symptoms such as tremors, slow movement, stiffness in the joints, difficulty walking, and freezing commonly seen in Parkinson’s disease. The deep brain stimulation (DBS) system, or deep brain stimulation device, consists of three parts. It is a completely closed system that includes electrodes implanted deep in the brain, a battery implanted below the collarbone in the chest cavity, and wires that connect the electrodes to the battery and run under the skin. After surgery, an external device placed over the battery can be used to adjust the voltage, frequency, and electrical amplitude according to the patient’s symptoms.

After the diagnosis of the disease, medication treatment is started. Patients can return to their pre-illness lives for the first few years as if they had never been sick. This period is called the honeymoon period. However, in the following years, despite medication, if symptoms such as tremors, freezing, rigidity, and slowness cannot be controlled, if the duration of off periods during the day increases, and if involuntary tremor-like movements appear with increasing medication doses, it can be said that it is time to consider deep brain stimulation surgery. Brain pacemaker surgery is not recommended within the first 5 years of diagnosis.. The main reason for this is that Parkinson’s disease can be confused with other illnesses. Unfortunately, brain pacemaker surgeries do not provide successful results as much as in Parkinson’s disease in these types of illnesses called Parkinson plus. It can be said that patients in the middle to advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease are suitable for brain pacemaker surgeries. In recent years, some reliable scientific studies have recommended deep brain stimulation treatment for patients in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease who continue to experience symptoms despite medication. In other words, even in the early stages of the disease, patients who have had symptoms for more than 5 years and are experiencing increasing tremors, stiffness, slow movement, involuntary movements, and longer periods of inactivity during the day may be considered for deep brain stimulation surgery.

Brain pacemaker treatment is a highly effective method for patients who are deemed suitable for this surgery based on the test results. The results are particularly encouraging for patients with symptoms such as tremors, freezing, rigidity, slowness of movement, and involuntary movements. First and foremost, patients are relieved of the limited condition in their daily lives. In patients who spend a large part of the day motionless, the so-called “off periods” are significantly shortened. This provides patients with a significant freedom in their daily lives. Additionally, we can reduce the medication doses they take after the surgery. Therefore, patients also get rid of the known side effects of Parkinson’s medications. But there are a few important things that patients and their families need to know. Beyin pacemaker treatment is not a cure that completely stops Parkinson’s disease. Unfortunately, the disease continues to progress over the years. Nevertheless, for suitable patients, deep brain stimulation is currently the best treatment. This view has been demonstrated many times with scientific studies. Especially in comparative scientific studies conducted with patients treated with drug therapy, the superiority of deep brain stimulation treatment has been demonstrated.