Battery-preserving Stimulation Patterns for Deep Brain Stimulation

Battery-preserving Stimulation Patterns to Improve Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease and Essential Tremor

The purpose of this research study is to test effectiveness of different deep brain stimulation (DBS) stimulation patterns on symptoms that may also improve the life of the battery. If these patterns are effective, the implanted batteries will be drained more slowly and last longer than currently expected. An increase in battery life may reduce the number of surgeries needed to replace them.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective surgical therapy for medication-refractory symptoms of Parkinson's disease, tremor, and dystonia. Patients implanted with DBS experience a significant improvement of their symptoms with relatively low risk of intolerable side effects. Implanted patients must undergo repeat surgeries to replace the Implantable Pulse Generators/batteries (IPG) approximately every 2 to 5 years. The DBS program (at the University of Florida) has studied battery consumption and has been interested in potential strategies to extend the life of the IPG to reduce the need for frequent battery replacement surgeries, while improving symptom-relief, patient satisfaction, and the potential associated financial burdens.

The research study will evaluate the effects of novel stimulation patterns on tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and gait in Parkinson's disease and essential tremor patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or Essential Tremor by strict criteria
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) already implanted
• Optimized Deep brain stimulation (DBS) settings (or at least 4 months of DBS programming)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other neurological diagnoses (co-existent Alzheimer's or ALS)
• No Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
• less than 4 Deep brain stimulation (DBS) programming