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Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2001;286:3071.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Electric brain stimulation can reduce problems patients with Parkinson disease develop after long-term use of levodopa, the main treatment for the disorder, researchers at Oregon Health and Science University report in the November 27 issue of Neurology. After years of use, levodopa becomes less effective, causing fluctuation—the "on/off" phenomenon—in Parkinson-associated motor symptoms such as tremor and poor balance.

The study examined 12 people who had had stimulating electrodes implanted for 1 to 3 years. The treatment uses a surgical implant similar to a cardiac pacemaker to block brain signals that cause tremor and other signs of the disease.

Patients were monitored hourly for 2 days while taking their normal medications. One day the stimulators were turned on; one day they were turned off. The results showed that electrical brain stimulation increased the "on" motor function (when medicine was working) in these patients by 29% and improved the "off" . . . [Full Text of this Article]