====== Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) ======
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical technique that delivers electrical impulses to specific brain areas to treat movement and psychiatric disorders.
===== Definition =====
DBS involves the implantation of electrodes into targeted brain regions. These electrodes are connected to a pulse generator (IPG) placed subcutaneously, usually in the chest. Electrical stimulation modulates abnormal neural activity.
===== How It Works =====
* Electrodes are implanted in deep brain structures (e.g., STN, GPi, VIM)
* Leads are tunneled under the skin and connected to a pulse generator
* Electrical pulses are delivered continuously or in cycles
* Stimulation parameters can be adjusted noninvasively
===== Approved Indications =====
* [[Parkinson’s Disease]]
* [[Essential Tremor]]
* [[Dystonia]]
* [[Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder]] (OCD)
* [[Epilepsy]]
===== Experimental / Emerging Indications =====
* Major Depression
* Tourette Syndrome
* Alzheimer’s Disease
* Chronic Pain
* Addiction
===== Benefits =====
* Reduces motor and psychiatric symptoms
* Adjustable and reversible
* May reduce the need for medication
* Improves quality of life in selected patients
===== Risks =====
* Infection
* Hemorrhage
* Hardware-related complications
* Neuropsychiatric effects (e.g., apathy, impulsivity, mood changes)
===== Common Targets by Indication =====
^ Condition ^ Target Brain Area ^
| Parkinson’s Disease | Subthalamic Nucleus (STN) |
| Essential Tremor | Ventral Intermediate Nucleus (VIM) |
| Dystonia | Globus Pallidus Internus (GPi) |
| OCD | Nucleus Accumbens, VC/VS |
===== Future Directions =====
* Adaptive DBS (aDBS) with real-time feedback loops
* Imaging-guided targeting and connectomics
* Expanded indications through clinical trials
* Integration with wearable tech and AI-based stimulation control
''DBS is one of the most impactful neurosurgical advances in functional and psychiatric neurosurgery.''