Indications For Deep Brain Stimulation Research Articles

Structural brain differences in essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease deep brain stimulation patients

BackgroundEssential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are the most common tremor disorders and are common indications for deep brain stimulation (DBS). In some patients, PD and ET symptoms overlap and diagnosis can be challenging based on clinical criteria alone. The objective of this study was to identify structural brain differences between PD and ET DBS patients to help differentiate these disorders and improve our understanding of the different brain regions involved in these pathologic processes. MethodsWe included ET and PD patients scheduled to undergo DBS surgery in this observational study. Patients underwent 3T brain MRI while under general anesthesia as part of their procedure. Cortical thicknesses and subcortical volumes were quantified from T1-weighted images using automated multi-atlas segmentation. We used logistic regression analysis to identify brain regions associated with diagnosis of ET or PD. Results149 ET and 265 PD patients were included. Smaller volumes in the pallidum and thalamus and reduced thickness in the anterior orbital gyrus, lateral orbital gyrus, and medial precentral gyrus were associated with greater odds of ET diagnosis. Conversely, reduced volumes in the caudate, amygdala, putamen, and basal forebrain, and reduced thickness in the orbital part of the inferior frontal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, and posterior cingulate were associated with greater odds of PD diagnosis. ConclusionsThese findings identify structural brain differences between PD and ET patients. These results expand our understanding of the different brain regions involved in these disorders and suggest that structural MRI may help to differentiate patients with these two disorders.

Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Programs in Canada


 Deep brain stimulation involves the surgical insertion of electrodes to stimulate targeted areas of the brain. It is recommended to help control movement-related symptoms of Parkinson disease with certain indications and contraindications to consider.
 This rapid Environmental Scan describes the landscape of deep brain stimulation surgery across Canada and identifies conditions other than Parkinson disease that can benefit from the therapy. It also provides an overview of cost-effectiveness studies on deep brain stimulation for Parkinson disease.
 Emerging indications for deep brain stimulation include refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder, refractory epilepsy, treatment-resistant Tourette syndrome, certain types of pain, refractory major depressive disorder, tardive dyskinesia, and essential tremor.
 In Canada, there are deep brain stimulation surgery programs in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. The number of qualified neurosurgeons for deep brain stimulation surgery ranges from 1 to 5 (at least) across jurisdictions.
 Overall, deep brain stimulation is considered cost-effective for people living with advanced Parkinson disease. The risk of developing Parkinson disease increases with age, with onset typically occurring in late adulthood. The number of people eligible for deep brain stimulation in Canada is expected to increase with the aging population and emerging indications. Information related to existing surgery programs can help support capacity planning for deep brain stimulation surgery in Canada.

Accuracy, precision, and safety of stereotactic, frame-based, intraoperative MRI-guided and MRI-verified deep brain stimulation in 650 consecutive procedures.

Suboptimal lead placement is one of the most common indications for deep brain stimulation (DBS) revision procedures. Confirming lead placement in relation to the visible anatomical target with dedicated stereotactic imaging before terminating the procedure can mitigate this risk. In this study, the authors examined the accuracy, precision, and safety of intraoperative MRI (iMRI) to both guide and verify lead placement during frame-based stereotactic surgery. A retrospective analysis of 650 consecutive DBS procedures for targeting accuracy, precision, and perioperative complications was performed. Frame-based lead placement took place in an operating room equipped with an MRI machine using stereotactic images to verify lead placement before removing the stereotactic frame. Immediate lead relocation was performed when necessary. Systematic analysis of the targeting error was calculated. Verification of 1201 DBS leads with stereotactic MRI was performed in 643 procedures and with stereotactic CT in 7. The mean ± SD of the final targeting error was 0.9 ± 0.3 mm (range 0.1-2.3 mm). Anatomically acceptable lead placement was achieved with a single brain pass for 97% (n = 1164) of leads; immediate intraoperative relocation was performed in 37 leads (3%) to obtain satisfactory anatomical placement. General anesthesia was used in 91% (n = 593) of the procedures. Hemorrhage was noted after 4 procedures (0.6%); 3 patients (0.4% of procedures) presented with transient neurological symptoms, and 1 experienced delayed cognitive decline. Two bleeds coincided with immediate relocation (2 of 37 leads, 5.4%), which contrasts with hemorrhage in 2 (0.2%) of 1164 leads implanted on the first pass (p = 0.0058). Three patients had transient seizures in the postoperative period. The seizures coincided with hemorrhage in 2 of these patients and with immediate lead relocation in the other. There were 21 infections (3.2% of procedures, 1.5% in 3 months) leading to hardware removal. Delayed (> 3 months) retargeting of 6 leads (0.5%) in 4 patients (0.6% of procedures) was performed because of suboptimal stimulation benefit. There were no MRI-related complications, no permanent motor deficits, and no deaths. To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest series reporting the use of iMRI to guide and verify lead location during DBS surgery. It demonstrates a high level of accuracy, precision, and safety. Significantly higher hemorrhage was encountered when multiple brain passes were required for lead implantation, although none led to permanent deficit. Meticulous audit and calibration can improve precision and maximize safety.

Functional connectivity in Parkinson\u2019s disease candidates for deep brain stimulation

This study aimed to identify functional neuroimaging patterns anticipating the clinical indication for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). A cohort of prospectively recruited patients with PD underwent neurological evaluations and resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI) at baseline and annually for 4 years. Patients were divided into two groups: 19 patients eligible for DBS over the follow-up and 41 patients who did not meet the criteria to undergo DBS. Patients selected as candidates for DBS did not undergo surgery at this stage. Sixty age- and sex-matched healthy controls performed baseline evaluations. Graph analysis and connectomics assessed global and local topological network properties and regional functional connectivity at baseline and at each time point. At baseline, network analysis showed a higher mean nodal strength, local efficiency, and clustering coefficient of the occipital areas in candidates for DBS over time relative to controls and patients not eligible for DBS. The occipital hyperconnectivity pattern was confirmed by regional analysis. At baseline, a decreased functional connectivity between basal ganglia and sensorimotor/frontal networks was found in candidates for DBS compared to patients not eligible for surgery. In the longitudinal analysis, patient candidate for DBS showed a progressively decreased topological brain organization and functional connectivity, mainly in the posterior brain networks, and a progressively increased connectivity of basal ganglia network compared to non-candidates for DBS. RS-fMRI may support the clinical indication to DBS and could be useful in predicting which patients would be eligible for DBS in the earlier stages of PD.

Neuroimaging Advances in Deep Brain Stimulation: Review of Indications, Anatomy, and Brain Connectomics

Deep brain stimulation is an established therapy for multiple brain disorders, with rapidly expanding potential indications. Neuroimaging has advanced the field of deep brain stimulation through improvements in delineation of anatomy, and, more recently, application of brain connectomics. Older lesion-derived, localizationist theories of these conditions have evolved to newer, network-based "circuitopathies," aided by the ability to directly assess these brain circuits in vivo through the use of advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as diffusion tractography and fMRI. In this review, we use a combination of ultra-high-field MR imaging and diffusion tractography to highlight relevant anatomy for the currently approved indications for deep brain stimulation in the United States: essential tremor, Parkinson disease, drug-resistant epilepsy, dystonia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. We also review the literature regarding the use of fMRI and diffusion tractography in understanding the role of deep brain stimulation in these disorders, as well as their potential use in both surgical targeting and device programming.

Comparison of Parkinson’s Disease Patients’ Characteristics by Indication for Deep Brain Stimulation: Men Are More Likely to Have DBS for Tremor

<strong>Background:</strong> We investigated whether the characteristics of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients differ based on the primary indication for deep brain stimulation (DBS). <strong>Methods:</strong> We reviewed data for 149 consecutive PD patients who underwent DBS at the University of Virginia. Patients were categorized based on primary surgical indication, and clinical characteristics were compared between groups. <strong>Results:</strong> Twenty-nine (93.5%) of 31 PD patients who underwent DBS for medication refractory tremor were men, and 66 (62.3%) of 106 PD patients who underwent DBS for motor fluctuations were men (p = 0.001). Other primary indications for DBS were tremor and fluctuations (<em>n</em> = 5), medication intolerance (<em>n</em> = 5), and dystonia (<em>n</em> = 2). <strong>Discussion:</strong> Patients who underwent DBS for medication refractory tremor were predominantly men, while patients who had DBS for motor fluctuations approximated the gender distribution of PD. Possible explanations are that men with PD are more likely to develop medication refractory tremor or undergo surgery for medication refractory tremor in PD compared to women.

Deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation Abstract. Deep brain stimulation, a neurosurgical therapy, consists of implanting electrodes in certain brain regions via which electrical impulses are applied by means of a neurostimulator (brain pacemaker). The therapeutic efficacy has been scientifically proven in various neurological and psychiatric indications. Deep Brain Stimulation offers a treatment option for severe disease progression and inadequate response to medication. Fluctuations and dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease, dystonia, refractory tremor and epilepsy, and certain pain syndromes are approved indications for deep brain stimulation in Switzerland.

Potential indications for deep brain stimulation in neurological disorders: an evolving field.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established therapy for appropriately selected patients with movement disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions. Although the exact mechanisms and biology of DBS are not fully understood, it is a safe and well-tolerated therapy for many refractory cases of neuropsychiatric disease. Increasingly, DBS has been explored in other conditions with encouraging results. In this paper, available data is reviewed and new DBS targets, challenges and future directions in neurological disorders are explored. A detailed search of the medical literature discussing the potential use of DBS for neurological disorders excluding accepted indications was conducted. All reports were analyzed individually for content and redundant articles were excluded by examining individual abstracts. The level of evidence for each indication was summarized. Multiple studies report promising preliminary data regarding the safety and efficacy of DBS for a variety of neurological indications including chronic pain, tinnitus, epilepsy, Tourette syndrome, Huntington's disease, tardive dyskinesia and Alzheimer's disease. The initial results of DBS studies for diverse neurological disorders are encouraging but larger, controlled, prospective, homogeneous clinical trials are necessary to establish long-term safety and effectiveness. The field of neuromodulation continues to evolve and advances in DBS technology, stereotactic techniques, neuroimaging and DBS programming capabilities are shaping the present and future of DBS research and use in practice.

One Pass Thalamic and Subthalamic Stimulation for Patients with Tremor-Dominant Idiopathic Parkinson Syndrome (OPINION): Protocol for a Randomized, Active-Controlled, Double-Blinded Pilot Trial.

BackgroundBesides fluctuations, therapy refractory tremor is one of the main indications of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with idiopathic Parkinson syndrome (IPS). Although thalamic DBS (ventral intermediate nucleus [Vim] of thalamus) has been shown to reduce tremor in 85-95% of patients, bradykinesia and rigidity often are not well controlled. The dentato-rubro-thalamic tract (DRT) that can directly be targeted with special diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging sequences has been shown as an efficient target for thalamic DBS. The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is typically chosen in younger patients as the target for dopamine-responsive motor symptoms. This study investigates a one-path thalamic (Vim/DRT) and subthalamic implantation of DBS electrodes and possibly a combined stimulation strategy for both target regions.ObjectiveThis study investigates a one path thalamic (Vim/DRT) and subthalamic implantation of DBS electrodes and a possibly combined stimulation strategy for both target regions.MethodsThis is a randomized, active-controlled, double-blinded (patient- and observer-blinded), monocentric trial with three treatments, three periods and six treatment sequences allocated according to a Williams design. Eighteen patients will undergo one-path thalamic (Vim/DRT) and STN implantation of DBS electrodes. After one month, a double-blinded and randomly-assigned stimulation of the thalamic target (Vim/DRT), the STN and a combined stimulation of both target regions will be performed for a period of three months each. The primary objective is to assess the quality of life obtained by the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (39 items) for each stimulation modality. Secondary objectives include tremor reduction (obtained by the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin tremor rating scale, video recordings, the Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale, and by tremor analysis), psychiatric assessment of patients, and to assess the safety of intervention.ResultsAt the moment, the recruitment is stopped and 12 patients have been randomized and treated. A futility analysis is being carried out by means of a conditional power analysis.ConclusionsThe approach of the OPINION trial planned to make, for the first time, a direct comparison of the different stimulation conditions (Vim/DRT, compared to STN, compared to Vim/DRT+STN) in a homogeneous patient population and, furthermore, will allow for intraindividual comparison of each condition with the “quality of life” outcome parameter. We hypothesize that the combined stimulation of the STN and the thalamic (Vim/DRT) target will be superior with respect to the patients’ quality of life as compared to the singular stimulation of the individual target regions. If this holds true, this work might change the standardized treatment described in the previous section.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02288468; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02288468 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wlKnt2pJ); and German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00007526; https://www.drks.de/drks_ web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00007526 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wlKyXZZL).

Expanding indications for deep brain stimulation.

It has been three decades since the first application of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for tremors was described by Benabid. Over the years, the indications for the performance of DBS have been expanding. There are now more than 1,50,000 patients around the world who have undergone DBS for various disorders. The main appeal of DBS is in its reversibility and titratability. Though the initial interest in DBS was for pain, the main indications for DBS have been movement disorders. Despite its wide appeal and "perceived" advantage, United States Food and Drug Administration, the nodal agency for approving therapies, has been cautious and guarded in providing approvals. Only two indications, i.e., Parkinson's disease and tremors, have been approved; the two other indications, i.e., dystonia and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), have been granted exemption under the humanitarian device usage. However, the European community has been more liberal and several of these indications have CE (Conformite Europeene) approval. Most of them will be reviewed in this article. There have been numerous indications for which DBS has been applied, which in turn has helped to change the lives of several patients. Unfortunately, due to the paucity of the number of procedures performed and the inherent difficulty in conducting "surgical" double blind randomized trials, Class 1 or Class 2 evidence for several of these indications is lacking. Hence, it is advisable that one does not embark on using each and any target for each and any indication without having the understanding or the team backup. It is cautionary that most of these therapies should be conducted in an institutional setting with an ethics and scientific committee backup and ably assisted by an experienced team.

Psychogenic dystonia or organic dystonia? About 2 DYT 1 cases

Objective: Primary DYT 1 dystonia is an autosomal dominant disease, typically starting around 7–9 y/o at lower limbs and further generalised in 70 % cases. It is considered as a very good indication for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the GPi.Organic dystonia is sometimes difficult to diagnose and might mimic psychogenic dystonia. We present 2 cases to illustrate this difficulty and the utility to restore a good diagnostic. Methods: We present two girls with an initial diagnosis of “psychogenic abnormal movements”. The first began at 8 y/o, with a fluctuating lameness of the right lower limb and progressive loss of the walk by the next 6 months. The second patient presented at 11 y/o an abrupt walking and posture disturbances, bending of the trunk and impossibility to recover. Given the good resilience for a severe motor disorder in a particular familial context for the first patient (separation of parents, spastic diplegia in the father) and acute onset symptoms in the second patient, the diagnosis of abnormal psychogenic movements was made for both. Results: The diagnosis of organic dystonia was proposed after 3 years and several months of “psychological” follow-ups for the first and second patients, respectively. Definitive diagnosis was confirmed by demonstrating the Torsine A mutation. The two children underwent DBS-GPi with an 80% improvement of the dystonic features (videos). The father of the first patient was known to have the same mutation. The second had a baby whose genetic status is unknown. Conclusion: These two cases illustrate the difficulty in the diagnosis of paediatric dystonia, especially since the criteria for a psychogenic origin, called functional origin, were present. This diagnosis of psychogenic dystonia must remain a diagnosis of elimination as a more precise diagnosis of dystonia can propose effective therapeutic interventions.

Comparison of bispectral index and entropy monitoring in patients undergoing internalisation of deep brain stimulators

Abstract Introduction: Depth of anaesthesia (DOA) monitors are shown to reduce the intra-operative dose of anaesthetic agents, provide haemodynamic stability and shorten emergence times. Electroencephalography (EEG) based DOA monitors such as bispectral index (BIS) and entropy have been calibrated and validated in healthy subjects. Hence the clinical effectiveness of these monitors may be affected when monitoring patients with neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy, dystonia, dementia and Parkinson’s disease). The aim of this study was to determine whether BIS and entropy correlate with each other and with clinical indices of DOA in patients with movement disorders under general anaesthesia (GA). Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study in patients with movement disorders undergoing internalization of deep brain stimulators. All patients received standard GA with age-adjusted mean alveolar concentration (aaMAC) of an inhalational agent between 0.7 and 1.1. BIS and entropy sensors were applied on the patient’s left forehead. Data collected included clinical parameters and EEG-based DOA indices. Correlation analysis was performed between entropy, BIS and the clinical indices of DOA. Bland Altman analysis was performed to determine the agreement between BIS and entropy. Results: Thirty patients were studied (mean age was 58.4 ± 11 years, male: female 18:12 and weight 79.2 ± 17 kg). Indications for deep brain stimulation were Parkinson’s disease (n = 25), essential tremors (n = 2) and dystonia (n = 3). There was a very strong positive correlation between BIS and response entropy (RE) (r = 0.932) and BIS and state entropy (SE) (r = 0.950) and a strong negative correlation among aaMAC and BIS, RE and SE with r values of −0.686, −0.788 and −0.732, respectively. However, there was no correlation between BIS, RE, SE and haemodynamic values. Conclusion: Our study showed that BIS and entropy perform well in patients with movement disorders. There was a good correlation between the BIS and entropy devices. Haemodynamic parameters were not reliable indicators of DOA in these patients.

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.

2014 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.

2014 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.

Estimulação Cerebral Profunda: Nova Fronteira no Tratamento das Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Central

The author reviews the present indications of deep brain stimulation, its progress and outcomes, its targets and techniques, the main neurosurgeons and medical centers involved. This review is based on the experience of the Functional Neurosurgery group of the Hospital Santa Maria (Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Norte) since 1995 and on the bibliography published since 1980 indexed on PubMed. The deep brain stimulation applications in the different functional neurosciences fields are presented and discussed: Movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease, dystonia and tremor, Gilles de la Tourette, chronic pain, epilepsy and psychosurgery with its different aims: Obsessive-compulsive disorder, severe resistant depression, resistant aggressiveness with disruptive behavior, eating behavior disorders (anorexia nervosa, morbid obesity) and drug addiction (alcohol, opioids, cocaine). In most of these clinical situations, deep brain stimulation is a safe and useful therapeutic resource that must be considered whenever the usual therapies are useless or not enough; in the other cases a greater experience is needed to make it a regular indication.

New indications for deep brain stimulation

New indications for deep brain stimulation

Tiefe Hirnstimulation

Many patients with neurological movement disorders and psychiatric diseases cannot yet be adequately treated with conventional methods. Deep brain stimulation represents an important extension of therapeutic options by which invasive electrodes are implanted in various subcortical brain areas in order to achieve an improvement in motor and psychiatric symptoms by high frequency stimulation. Up to 2012 approximately 100,000 patients had been treated with deep brain stimulation worldwide. The indications for deep brain stimulation were essentially already established indications, such as idiopathic Parkinson's syndrome, dystonia and tremors. The newer indications which include in particular psychiatric symptoms, such as depression, obsessive diseases, addiction and Tourette syndrome, are as yet limited to approximately 5% of treated patients. An increasingly better understanding of the system physiology of neurological and psychiatric diseases has promoted the search for new target areas and indications for treatment by neuromodulation. This article gives an overview of the latest developments in the established and also the developing application areas of deep brain stimulation.

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation

Recent years have witnessed the discoveries of several genes causing neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) and subsequently their novel classification scheme was suggested. The first results of treatments with modern chelating drugs are also being published. Most recently, mutations in the c19orf12 gene encoding a mitochondrial protein of unknown function were identified in patients suffering from hitherto unknown NBIA presenting with a clinical phenotype similar to pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) but with a slightly later onset. A case study has shown that mutations in the fatty-acid 2-hydroxylase gene may lead to various phenotypes combining the features of leukodystrophy and NBIA, supporting that abnormal metabolism of myelin and iron accumulation may have a common cause. A phase-II pilot study did not find any clinical improvement after chelating treatment in a group of PKAN patients. However, benefits of chelating treatment have been observed in individual patients with PKAN and idiopathic NBIA in another study. This review gives an outline of the clinical presentations of recently discovered NBIA syndromes and summarizes the clues to their differential diagnosis. While chelating treatment still remains experimental, advances have been made regarding the indications of deep brain stimulation in symptomatic treatment of NBIAs manifesting with generalized dystonia.

Pediatric indications for deep brain stimulation

Based on the success of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the treatment of adult disorders, it is reasonable to assume that the application of DBS in the pediatric population is an emerging area worthy of study. The purpose of this paper is to outline the current movement disorder indications for DBS in the pediatric population, and to describe areas of investigation, including possible medically refractory psychiatric indications. We performed a structured review of the English language literature from 1990 to 2011 related to studies of DBS in pediatrics using Medline and PubMed search results. Twenty-four reports of DBS in the pediatric population were found. Based on published data on the use of DBS for pediatric indications, there is a spectrum of clinical evidence for the use of DBS to treat different disorders. Dystonia, a disease associated with a low rate of remission and significant disability, is routinely treated with DBS and is currently the most promising pediatric application of DBS. We caution the application of DBS to conditions associated with a high remission rate later in adulthood, like obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette's syndrome. Moreover, epilepsy and obesity are currently being investigated as indications for DBS in the adult population; however, both are associated with significant morbidity in pediatrics. While currently dystonia is the most promising application of DBS in the pediatric population, multiple conditions currently being investigated in adults also afflict children and adolescents, and thus warrant further research.

Expanding applications of deep brain stimulation: a potential therapeutic role in obesity and addiction management

The indications for deep brain stimulation (DBS) are expanding, and the feasibility and efficacy of this surgical procedure in various neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders continue to be tested. This review attempts to provide background and rationale for applying this therapeutic option to obesity and addiction. We review neural targets currently under clinical investigation for DBS—the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens—in conditions such as cluster headache and obsessive-compulsive disorder. These brain regions have also been strongly implicated in obesity and addiction. These disorders are frequently refractory, with very high rates of weight regain or relapse, respectively, despite the best available treatments. We performed a structured literature review of the animal studies of DBS, which revealed attenuation of food intake, increased metabolism, or decreased drug seeking. We also review the available radiologic evidence in humans, implicating the hypothalamus and nucleus in obesity and addiction. The available evidence of the promise of DBS in these conditions combined with significant medical need, support pursuing pilot studies and clinical trials of DBS in order to decrease the risk of dietary and drug relapse. Well-designed pilot studies and clinical trials enrolling carefully selected patients with obesity or addiction should be initiated.