Deep Brain Stimulation For Essential Tremor Research Articles

Clinically Weighted Probabilistic Tractography Mapping of Therapeutic Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor

Abstract INTRODUCTION Traditional targeting methods rely on indirect targeting with atlas-defined coordinates that induce interpatient anatomical and functional variability. Precise targeting is crucial for successful surgical intervention associated with improved surgical outcomes. Here, we use clinically weighted probabilistic tractography to investigate the connectivity from volume of tissue activated (VTA) to whole brain in order to evaluate the relationship between structural connectivity and clinical outcome of patients that underwent thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS). METHODS Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical outcomes from 10 essential tremor (ET) patients who were treated by VIM-DBS at the University of California Los Angeles were evaluated. LeadBDS was used for the VTA calculation and FSL was used to evaluate the whole brain probabilistic tractography of VTA. Tractography maps were binarized and weighted based on the percent of clinical improvement using the Fahn-Tolosa-Martin Tremor Rating Score. The resulting clinically weighted maps were non-linearly fused to MNI space and averaged. These population maps provide a voxel-by-voxel map of the average clinical improvement observed when the VTA demonstrates structural connectivity to the whole brain. RESULTS The VTA connectivity to the whole brain was delineated. Superior clinical improvement was associated with connectivity to voxels connecting the thalamus to the precentral gyrus and to the brainstem/cerebellum. Also, the clinical efficacy map showed that patients with higher clinical improvement (>70%) presented stronger structural connectivity to the precentral gyrus and to the caudal projection to the cerebellum. CONCLUSION Stronger connectivity to the precentral gyrus and to brainstem/cerebellum is associated with superior clinical outcome in thalamic DBS for ET. In the future, rather than focusing on connectivity to predetermined targets, these clinically weighted tractography maps can be used with a reverse algorithm to identify the optimal region of the thalamus to provide clinically superior results.

Segmented versus Nonsegmented Deep-Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor Differ in Ataxic Side Effects

<strong>Background:</strong> Directional, deep-brain stimulation may prove beneficial for targets (1) thinner along the lead trajectory, and (2) whose borders are not easily visible by neuroimaging. When targeting the ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus of the thalamus for essential tremor, even baseline ataxia may be exacerbated by medial spread of current and antidromic stimulation of vestibular-cerebellar-thalamic afferents. <strong>Case Report:</strong> The present patient with essential tremor developed refractory head tremor leading to implantation of bilateral St. Jude/Abbott segmented leads into the VIM to afford additional programming options. <strong>Discussion:</strong> Video evidence showed that directional stimulation did not exacerbate ataxia beyond baseline, whereas nondirectional stimulation exacerbated ataxia consistently. We discuss how this programming advantage may help address a common complication from DBS implantation for essential tremor patients.

An Unusual Case of Essential Tremor Deep Brain Stimulation: Where is the Lead?

An Unusual Case of Essential Tremor Deep Brain Stimulation: Where is the Lead?

Differential impact on speech production from chronic thalamic DBS in Essential Tremor and that from STN DBS in Parkinson's disease

Essential Tremor (ET) is the most common tremor syndrome seen in adults. The characteristic tremor in ET is postural and action tremors, with a frequency of 4–7 Hz; while in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), the dominant tremor is resting tremor with a typical frequency of 5 Hz. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the ventral intermediate nuclei (Vim) has been shown effective in treating action or intention tremors in medically resistant ET, while DBS in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been shown effective in treating rigidity, rest tremor and Dopa-induced dyskinesias in PD. However, chronic bilateral DBS, whether in Vim or STN, may have negative impact on speech production. We report two cases where both patients received DBS greater than one year and developed speech impairment. When the stimulation in Vim was turned off for 30 min in ET, the patient's speech returned to the baseline while turning the STN stimulation off for 30 min in PD, minimal changes were observed and 12 h with stimulation-off were required for speech to return to the non-stimulated state.Essential Tremor (ET) is the most common tremor syndrome seen in adults. The characteristic tremor in ET is postural and action tremors, with a frequency of 4–7 Hz; while in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), the dominant tremor is resting tremor with a typical frequency of 5 Hz. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the ventral intermediate nuclei (Vim) has been shown effective in treating action or intention tremors in medically resistant ET, while DBS in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been shown effective in treating rigidity, rest tremor and Dopa-induced dyskinesias in PD. However, chronic bilateral DBS, whether in Vim or STN, may have negative impact on speech production. We report two cases where both patients received DBS greater than one year and developed speech impairment. When the stimulation in Vim was turned off for 30 min in ET, the patient's speech returned to the baseline while turning the STN stimulation off for 30 min in PD, minimal changes were observed and 12 h with stimulation-off w...

Benefits and risks of unilateral and bilateral ventral intermediate nucleus deep brain stimulation for axial essential tremor symptoms

IntroductionMany experts assume bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) is necessary to improve axial tremor in essential tremor (ET). In the largest clinical trial of DBS for ET to date evaluating a non-directional, constant current device, we studied the effects of unilateral and staged bilateral DBS on axial tremor. MethodsWe included all participants from the original trial with unilateral ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) DBS and 90-day follow up at minimum. Primary outcomes were changes in pooled axial subscores in the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (CRST) at 90 and 180 days after activation of unilateral VIM DBS compared to pre-operative baseline (n=119). Additionally, we performed within-subject analyses for unilateral versus bilateral DBS at 180 days in the cohort who underwent staged surgery to bilateral DBS (n=39). ResultsUnilateral VIM DBS improved midline tremor by 58% at 90 days (median[IQR]) (3[3] to 1[2], p<0.001) and 65% at 180 days (3[3] to 1[2], p<0.001) versus pre-op baseline. In the staged to bilateral DBS cohort, midline tremor scores further improved after bilateral DBS at 180 days by 63% versus unilateral DBS (3[3] to 1[3], p=0.007). There were, however, 35 additional DBS and surgery-related adverse events, 14 related to incoordination, gait impairment, or speech impairment, versus 6 after unilateral DBS. ConclusionUnilateral VIM DBS for ET significantly improved associated axial tremor. Staged bilateral DBS was associated with additional axial tremor improvement but also additional adverse events. Unilateral VIM DBS may be sufficient to achieve a goal of contralateral limb and axial tremor attenuation.

Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor: Aligning Thalamic and Posterior Subthalamic Targets in 1 Surgical Trajectory.

Ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) deep brain stimulation (DBS) and posterior subthalamic area (PSA) DBS suppress tremor in essential tremor (ET) patients, but it is not clear which target is optimal. Aligning both targets in 1 surgical trajectory would facilitate exploring stimulation of either target in a single patient. To evaluate aligning VIM and PSA in 1 surgical trajectory for DBS in ET. Technical aspects of trajectories, intraoperative stimulation findings, final electrode placement, target used for chronic stimulation, and adverse and beneficial effects were evaluated. In 17 patients representing 33 trajectories, we successfully aligned VIM and PSA targets in 26 trajectories. Trajectory distance between targets averaged 7.2 (range 6-10) mm. In all but 4 aligned trajectories, optimal intraoperative tremor suppression was obtained in the PSA. During follow-up, active electrode contacts were located in PSA in the majority of cases. Overall, successful tremor control was achieved in 69% of patients. Stimulation-induced dysarthria or gait ataxia occurred in, respectively, 56% and 44% of patients. Neither difference in tremor suppression or side effects was noted between aligned and nonaligned leads nor between the different locations of chronic stimulation. Alignment of VIM and PSA for DBS in ET is feasible and enables intraoperative exploration of both targets in 1 trajectory. This facilitates positioning of electrode contacts in both areas, where multiple effective points of stimulation can be found. In the majority of aligned leads, optimal intraoperative and chronic stimulation were located in the PSA.

Less is more – Pulse width dependent therapeutic window in deep brain stimulation for essential tremor

BackgroundShorter pulse widths than conventional pulse width settings may lead to reduction of side effects and therefore be a valuable therapeutic option for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with essential tremor (ET). ObjectiveTo compare the DBS effect of shorter pulse width at 40 μs (DBS-40 μs) to conventional pulse width at 60 μs (DBS-60 μs) on the therapeutic window in ET patients. MethodsFor this prospective, randomized, double-blind, crossover study 9 ET patients with chronic DBS of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM)/posterior subthalamic area (PSA) were recruited. Therapeutic window was calculated by determining efficacy and side effect thresholds for DBS-40 μs and DBS-60 μs. Tremor Rating Scales and Kinesia tremor analyses were used to compare clinical efficacy between the considered settings and deactivated DBS (DBS-OFF). Volume of neural activation (VNA) was calculated for both efficacy and side effect thresholds at each pulse width. ResultsDBS-40 μs showed a significantly larger therapeutic window than DBS-60 μs mainly due to higher side-effect thresholds. Both conditions significantly improved tremor compared to DBS-OFF, while efficacy was comparable between DBS-40 μs and DBS-60 μs. Moreover, VNA at efficacy threshold was smaller and less energy was required for tremor suppression with DBS-40 μs compared to DBS-60 μs. ConclusionsVIM/PSA-DBS with short pulse width represents a promising programming option for DBS in ET as it reduces side effects while maintaining efficient tremor suppression. Furthermore, our data support the notion of pulse width dependent selective modulation of distinct fiber tracts leading to widening of the therapeutic window.

A method for pre-operative single-subject thalamic segmentation based on probabilistic tractography for essential tremor deep brain stimulation.

Deep brain stimulation is a common treatment for medication-refractory essential tremor. Current coordinate-based targeting methods result in variable outcomes due to variation in thalamic structure and the optimal patient-specific functional location. The purpose of this study was to compare the coordinate-based pre-operative targets to patient-specific thalamic segmentation utilizing a probabilistic tractography methodology. Using available diffusion MRI of 32 subjects from the Human Connectome Project database, probabilistic tractography was performed. Each thalamic voxel was coded based on one of six predefined cortical targets. The segmentation results were analyzed and compared to a 2-mm spherical target centered at the coordinate-based location of the ventral intermediate thalamic nucleus. The traditional coordinate-based target had maximal overlap with the junction of the region most connected to primary motor cortex (M1) (36.6 ± 25.7% of voxels on left; 58.1 ± 28.5% on right) and the area connected to the supplementary motor area/premotor cortex (SMA/PMC) (44.9 ± 21.7% of voxels on left; 28.9 ± 22.2% on right). There was a within-subject coefficient of variation from right-to-left of 69.4 and 63.1% in the volume of overlap with the SMA/PMC and M1 regions, respectively. Thalamic segmentation based on structural connectivity measures is a promising technique that may enhance traditional targeting methods by generating reproducible, patient-specific pre-operative functional targets. Our results highlight the problematic intra- and inter-subject variability of indirect, coordinate-based targets. Future prospective clinical studies will be needed to validate this targeting methodology in essential tremor patients.

Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation.

The use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamus has been proven to be a safe and efficacious treatment for the management of many diseases. The most common indication for thalamic DBS remains essential tremor (ET), one of the most common movement disorders in the world. ET patients should be considered for surgical intervention when their tremor has demonstrated to be refractory to medication, a characteristic estimated to be present in roughly 50% of ET cases. Advantages of DBS over thalamotomy include its reversibility, the ability to adjust stimulation settings to optimize efficacy and minimize side effects, the ability to perform bilateral procedures safely, and an association with a lower risk of postoperative cognitive problems. The most common target of DBS for ET is the ventralis intermedius (VIM) of the thalamus, and the optimal electrode location corresponds to the anterior margin of the VIM. Other indications for thalamic DBS include non-ET tremor, obsessive-compulsive disorder, neuropathic pain, traumatic brain injury, Tourette's syndrome, and drug-resistant epilepsy among others.

Patient Evaluation and Selection for Movement Disorders Surgery: The Changing Spectrum of Indications.

This report summarizes the state-of-the-art and controversies around patient selection for deep brain stimulation (DBS) for various conditions. Parkinson's disease (PD): several class I studies have shown superiority of DBS over best medical treatment for advanced PD with fluctuations and further inclusion criteria. One class I study suggests that PD patients with early motor complications might gain more quality of life if operated within 3 years after the onset of fluctuations. The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is still the standard target. STN DBS has an impact on impulse control disorders though the exact mechanism is unclear. Tremor: essential tremor (ET) patients found to be eligible for DBS surgery should first be treated with primidone, propranolol, and with a combined therapy preoperatively. Second-line drugs (i.e., topiramate and gabapentin) may be useful. No class I studies exist for DBS treatment of ET. The optimal target of DBS in ET might be the posterior subthalamic area. Dystonia: there is class I evidence for primary generalized and segmental dystonia and for some botulinum-resistant focal dystonias. The impact of age, symptom duration, and DYT-mutation status in primary dystonia on the outcome of DBS surgery clearly demands more studies. DBS has a role in SCGE-mutation positive myoclonus dystonia and tardive dystonia. Finally, neurostimulation in secondary dystonia might be considered in selected patients based on an individual patient's approach.

Square biphasic pulse deep brain stimulation for essential tremor: The BiP tremor study

BackgroundConventional deep brain stimulation (DBS) utilizes regular, high frequency pulses to treat medication-refractory symptoms in essential tremor (ET). Modifications of DBS pulse shape to achieve improved effectiveness is a promising approach. ObjectivesThe current study assessed the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of square biphasic pulse shaping as an alternative to conventional ET DBS. MethodsThis pilot study compared biphasic pulses (BiP) versus conventional DBS pulses (ClinDBS). Eleven ET subjects with clinically optimized ventralis intermedius nucleus DBS were enrolled. Objective measures were obtained over 3 h while ON BiP stimulation. ResultsThere was observed benefit in the Fahn-Tolosa Tremor Rating Scale (TRS) for BiP conditions when compared to the DBS off condition and to ClinDBS setting. Total TRS scores during the DBS OFF condition (28.5 IQR = 24.5–35.25) were significantly higher than the other time points. Following active DBS, TRS improved to (20 IQR = 13.8–24.3) at ClinDBS setting and to (16.5 IQR = 12–20.75) at the 3 h period ON BiP stimulation (p = 0.001). Accelerometer recordings revealed improvement in tremor at rest (χ2 = 16.1, p = 0.006), posture (χ2 = 15.9, p = 0.007) and with action (χ2 = 32.1, p=<0.001) when comparing median total scores at ClinDBS and OFF DBS conditions to 3 h ON BiP stimulation. There were no adverse effects and gait was not impacted. ConclusionBiP was safe, tolerable and effective on the tremor symptoms when tested up to 3 h. This study demonstrated the feasibility of applying a novel DBS waveform in the clinic setting. Larger prospective studies with longer clinical follow-up will be required.

Bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation for essential tremor in elderly patients.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of age on thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) in essential tremor (ET). Tremor, cognition, mood and adverse events in patients with thalamic DBS for ET were evaluated in 26 consecutive patients with established standardized methods for tremor and cognition. Twelve patients <70 and 14 patients ≥70years were included and followed for 2years. Clinical outcomes did not differ significantly. DBS seems to be safe and effective for ET independent of age.

"Asleep" Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery: A Critical Review of the Literature.

Although performing deep brain stimulation (DBS) with the patient under general anesthesia without microelectrode recording (MER) or intraoperative test stimulation (ITS) for movement disorders ("asleep" DBS) has become increasingly popular, its feasibility is based on the untested assumption that stereotactic accuracy correlates with positive clinical outcomes. To investigate outcomes after asleep DBS without MER or neurophysiological testing, we reviewed the medical literature on the topic. We searched PubMed to identify all studies reporting clinical outcomes for patients who underwent DBS without MER or ITS for Parkinson disease (PD) or essential tremor (ET). We identified 9 studies with level 3b (n= 3) or level 4 evidence (n= 6). Eight PD studies (220 patients) reported asleep placement of 431 electrodes (341 subthalamic nucleus, 90 globus pallidus interna). Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale motor examination-III scores for 208 patients demonstrated significant improvement (40.2%-65%) at 6-12 months. Thelevodopa equivalent daily dose for 115 patients was significantly reduced (14%-49.3%) at 6-12 months in 103 patients. Two studies with a comparison cohort undergoing "awake" DBS with MER found no differences in postoperative Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale-III improvement or levodopa equivalent daily dose reduction. One study of asleep DBS for ET found no difference in functional outcomes between 17 patients undergoing asleep ventral intermediate nucleus DBS and 40 patients undergoing awake placement with ITS. Initial evidence suggests that asleep DBS can be performed safely for PD and ET with good clinical outcomes. Long-term follow-up, larger cohorts, and double-armed studies are needed to validate these initial results.

High-voltage VIM Region Deep Brain Stimulation Mimicking Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

BackgroundDeep brain stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor (ET) can cause unwanted side effects.Case ReportA patient with ET underwent unilateral dual-lead thalamic DBS. He later developed parkinsonism with atypical features and was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy. During presentation for a second opinion, stimulation-induced side effects were suspected. Inactivation of DBS resolved atypical features and superimposed idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) was diagnosed.DiscussionThis case illustrates the importance of recognizing the possible influence of stimulation-induced side effects and discusses when to utilize dual-lead DBS for ET and the co-occurrence of ET and PD.

Precise stimulation location optimizes speech outcomes in essential tremor

BackgroundDeep brain stimulation for essential arm tremor is often complicated by dysarthria and persistent voice tremor. ObjectiveTo determine the relationship of stimulation location to speech outcomes following bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor (ET). MethodsEighteen patients undergoing bilateral DBS for ET were prospectively studied. Speech pathologists grouped patients by final speech outcome (normal speech, voice tremor, or dysarthria). Locations of the active leads were calculated by normalizing the segmented thalamic volumes to those in the Morel atlas. Stimulation volumes within thalamic nuclei, error distances from target, and measures of accuracy were calculated and differences in measures between outcome groups tested. ResultsAt optimal stimulation, 8 patients had normal speech, 6 had voice tremor, and 4 had mild dysarthria. Stimulation volumes were statistically concentrated within the ventral lateral posterior nucleus (VLp). The percentage of stimulation volume outside the VLp was higher in patients with dysarthria (60% vs. 24%, p = 0.02) or voice tremor (55% vs. 24%, p = 0.03) compared to patients with normal speech outcomes. The error distance from the center of VLp was greater for patients with dysarthria than those with normal speech (12.6 vs. 7.6 mm, p = 0.02). Electrodes with lower efficiency for VLp stimulation were more frequent with poor speech outcomes and in patients with persistent voice tremor. ConclusionsFollowing bilateral DBS for ET, 22% of patients develop a non-disabling dysarthria. Optimal speech outcomes were achieved in 44% of patients and correlated with precise stimulation location within and not outside of the VLp.

Postmortem diffusion MRI of the human brainstem and thalamus for deep brain stimulator electrode localization.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established surgical therapy for medically refractory tremor disorders including essential tremor (ET) and is currently under investigation for use in a variety of other neurologic and psychiatric disorders. There is growing evidence that the anti-tremor effects of DBS for ET are directly related to modulation of the dentatorubrothalamic tract (DRT), a white matter pathway that connects the cerebellum, red nucleus, and ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus. Emerging white matter targets for DBS, like the DRT, will require improved three-dimensional (3D) reference maps of deep brain anatomy and structural connectivity for accurate electrode targeting. High-resolution diffusion MRI of postmortem brain specimens can provide detailed volumetric images of important deep brain nuclei and 3D reconstructions of white matter pathways with probabilistic tractography techniques. We present a high spatial and angular resolution diffusion MRI template of the postmortem human brainstem and thalamus with 3D reconstructions of the nuclei and white matter tracts involved in ET circuitry. We demonstrate registration of these data to in vivo, clinical images from patients receiving DBS therapy, and correlate electrode proximity to tractography of the DRT with improvement of ET symptoms.

Implementing novel trial methods to evaluate surgery for essential tremor

Introduction. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) can provide dramatic essential tremor (ET) relief, however no Class I evidence exists. Materials and methods. Analysis methods: I) traditional cohort analysis; II) N-of-1 single patient randomised control trial and III) signal-to-noise (S/N) analysis. 20 DBS electrodes in ET patients were switched on and off for 3-min periods. Six pairs of on and off periods in each case, with the pair order determined randomly. Tremor severity was quantified with tremor evaluator and patient was blinded to stimulation. Patients also stated whether they perceived the stimulation to be on after each trial. Results. I) Mean end-of-trial tremor severity 0.84 out of 10 on, 6.62 Off, t = − 13.218, p < 0·0005. II) N-of-1: 60% of cases had 12 correct perceptions (p = 0·001), 20% had 11 correct perceptions (p = 0·013). III) S/N: > 80% tremor reduction occurred in 99/114 ‘On’ trials (87%), and 3/114 ‘Off’ trials (3%). S/N ratio for 80% improvement with DBS versus spontaneous improvement was 487,757-to-1. Conclusions. DBS treatment effect on ET is too large for bias to be a plausible explanation. Formal N-of-1 trial design, and S/N ratio method for presenting results, allows this to be demonstrated convincingly where conventional randomised controlled trials are not possible. Classification of evidence. This study is the first to provide Class I evidence for the efficacy of DBS for ET.

Impact of advancing age on post-operative complications of deep brain stimulation surgery for essential tremor

Essential tremor (ET) was the original indication for deep brain stimulation (DBS), with USA Food and Drug Administration approval since 1997. Despite the efficacy of DBS, it is associated with surgical complications that cause sub-optimal clinical outcomes. Given that ET is a progressive disease with increase in symptom severity with increasing age, this study evaluated the impact of increasing age on short-term complications following DBS surgery for ET. The Thomson-Reuters MarketScan database was utilized (New York, NY, USA). Patients selected were over age 18 and underwent DBS for ET between the years 2000 and 2009. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to calculate complication odds ratios (OR) for a 5year increase in age, after controlling for other covariates. Six hundred sixty-one patients were included in the analysis. The mean (standard deviation) age was 61.9 (14.3) years, with 17% of individuals aged ⩾75years. Overall 56.9% of patients were male, and 44.6% had a Charlson Comorbidity Score of ⩾1. Additionally, 7.1% of patients experienced at least one complication within 90days, including wound infections (3.0%), pneumonia (2.4%), hemorrhage or hematoma (1.5%), or pulmonary embolism (0.6%). Increasing age was not significantly associated with the overall 90day complication rates (OR 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77–1.02; p=0.102). The risk of the two most common procedure-related complications, hemorrhage and infection, did not significantly increase with age (hemorrhage: OR 1.02; 95%CI 0.77–1.37; p=0.873; and infection: OR 0.88; 95%CI 0.72–1.07; p=0.203). Our findings suggest that age should not be a primary exclusion factor for determining candidacy for DBS and also suggest a possible expansion of the traditional therapeutic window since post-operative complications remained relatively stable.

Loss of benefit in VIM thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor (ET): How prevalent is it?

Ventralis intermedius (Vim) thalamic deep brain stimulation for medication-refractory essential tremor (ET) has been shown to significantly improve severity of limb tremor in several large case series with significant reduction in objective motor scores. A variable proportion of patients experience decline in benefit over time, however, most studies have not been designed to describe the phenomenon of waning benefit in terms that are helpful for patient counseling. In this retrospective single center study, we define waning benefit as a phenomenon that occurs after patients begin to require reprogramming visits to optimize DBS benefit on tremor. We employed a survival analysis with time to escape (TTE) as a quantitative measure of time elapsed between implantation and the need for subsequent reprogramming. In our cohort of ET patients operated on with Vim DBS from 1994 to 2009, among 45 subjects who met inclusion criteria, 73% reported waning benefit at some point during a mean follow-up period of 56 months (range 12–152 months). The mean TTE from implantation date was 18 months (range 3–75 months). We conclude that loss of benefit over time from Vim DBS for ET is more prevalent than previously published estimates have indicated and should be discussed during patient counseling regarding durability of expected benefit. In addition, this data suggests that a disease-based explanation rather than technical factors are more likely to explain the decline in benefit.

Current clinical application of deep-brain stimulation for essential tremor

BackgroundDeep-brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for medically refractory essential tremor (ET). This article reviews the current evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of DBS targets, including the ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus and posterior subthalamic area (PSA) in treatment of ET.MethodsA structured PubMed search was performed through December 2012 with keywords “deep brain stimulation (DBS),” “essential tremor (ET),” “ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus,” “posterior subthalamic area (PSA),” “safety,” and “efficacy.”ResultsBased on level IV evidence, both VIM and PSA DBS targets appear to be safe and efficacious in ET patients in tremor reduction and improving activities of daily living, though the literature on PSA DBS is limited in terms of bilateral stimulation and long-term follow-up. DBS-related adverse effects are typically mild and stimulation-related. Hardware-related complications after DBS may not be uncommon, and often require additional surgical procedures. Few studies assessed quality-of-life and cognition outcomes in ET patients undergoing DBS stimulation.ConclusionDBS appears to be a safe and effective treatment for medically refractory ET. More systematic studies comparing VIM and PSA targets are needed to ascertain the most safe and effective DBS treatment for medically refractory ET. More research is warranted to assess quality-of-life and cognition outcomes in ET patients undergoing DBS.