Deep Brain Stimulation for Tourette's Syndrome and Challenging for Neuropsychiatric Disease

Abstract

The efficacy of deep brain stimulation(DBS)for Tourette's syndrome is being well established. Herein, we performed DBS in 38 patients and confirmed that its efficacy was comparable with that reported internationally. Although many patients experience severe symptoms, the indications for surgery remain controversial. One reason for this is that Tourette syndrome has the potential for spontaneous remission, while DBS treatment results in the need for long-term management, which can be difficult for some patients. Furthermore, while several targets for DBS have been reported, no treatment guidelines have yet been established. The efficacy of DBS for neuropsychiatric disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and dementia, is gradually being reported. However, this use has many limitations in terms of expectations similar to those seen with Tourette's syndrome, leading to problems with expanding indications for these disorders. Indications for these disorders should be addressed in conjunction with ethical issues. It is expected that more data on this topic will be collected in the future.