Benefits of Subthalamic Stimulation for Elderly Parkinsonian Patients Aged 70 years or Older

Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder commonly found in older people [1]. The peak incidence occurs at 60 –70 years. The mean age of onset is approximately 60–65 years [2]. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is effective in treating patients with advanced PD, typically improving their life quality [3–5]. However, elderly PD patients (age≧70 years) are frequently exclud ed worldwide from DBS therapy [3,6,7] or related clinical trials [8] on the sole basis of upper-age limits, despite little supporting evidence.

Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - July 28, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Shang-Ming Chiou Source Type: research