Boston Scientific receives safety approval for deep brain stimulation product

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 22 December 2017

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Medical manufacturer Boston Scientific has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the Vercise Deep Brain Stimulation System, a device engineered to customise therapy for people living with Parkinson’s.

The approval was based on the INTREPID study, a test that evaluated the safety and effectiveness of the system on 292 people with Parkinson’s.

The first commercial implant is scheduled to take place at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, US, by a team of faculty professionals.

Dr Jerrold Vitek, professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota, said: “The Vercise Deep Brain Stimulation System changes the landscape of what physicians can do to help improve the quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s disease.

“This system provides an ability to sculpt the current field in the deep brain stimulation target using novel technology that offers flexibility in programming.”

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Advances

VIDEO: Directional deep brain stimulation: novel treatment options for all Parkinson’s patients

Technological advancements offer enhanced therapy outcomes

Young onset Parkinson’s: “How I look is not how I feel”

The first in our series profiling Parkinson's Vision 2020 speakers

Perspectives

“I love my life, even with Parkinson’s disease”

How DBS helped Inge Carstensen learn to live with Parkinson's

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Researchers in Denmark have shared insights on a cause of up to 95% of Parkinson’s disease cases. Using data on gene patterns and three mouse models, scientists at the University of Copenhagen found that a blockage to a pathway regulating mitochondria (‘powerhouses’ that generate energy for reactions in cells) causes a form of the condition known as ‘sporadic Parkinson’s disease’. When the pathway becomes blocked by a protein, damaged mitochondria accumulate, unable to produce enough energy – which in turn causes nerve cells to die. “Just like when people eat, cells take what they need and get rid of … waste products,” explained corresponding study author Professor Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas. “But if our brain cells have this specific kind of signalling blockage, it means that the powerhouse of the cell – mitochondria – cannot get cleaned up after being damaged.” The team now plan to investigate the pathway’s role in neuronal…

Could dance help to treat Parkinson’s disease?

Dance training with music could help slow the progression of mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease, researchers at York University in Canada have found. As part of the study, the researchers followed 16 participants with Parkinson’s disease who attended weekly dance classes between 2014 and 2017. The research team compared them to 16 people with Parkinson’s who did not take part in the classes. The research team found that the motor and non-motor symptoms of those who took part in the dance classes improved or did not progress over time – while those who did not participate showed a continual decline. “Dance is so complex,” said study author, PhD candidate Karolina Bearss. “It’s a multi-sensory type of environment. It incorporates and stimulates your auditory, tactile, visual and kinaesthetic senses and adds an interactive social aspect. Regular exercise does not offer these aspects. There’s so much more to dance.”

Vineyard pesticides may be linked to Parkinson’s disease

Exposure to pesticides used in vineyards could be linked to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers in France. As part of their study, the team used a health insurance database to identify farmers in France who had been diagnosed with the condition. They then compared these records with data combining an agriculture census and pesticide expenditures across regions of varying farming types, including vineyards. They found that areas with vineyards that lacked designation of origin, and spent the most on pesticides, were associated with a 16% higher incidence of Parkinson’s. “This result suggests that agricultural practices and pesticides used in these vineyards may play a role in Parkinson’s disease,” the researchers concluded, “and that farmers in these farms should benefit from preventive measures aiming at reducing exposure.”

All fields required

First name*
Last name*
Email address*
Enter Email Confirm Email
Country of residence*
About me*
- I have Parkinson's disease
- I am a partner / carer / family / friend of someone who has Parkinson's
- I am a healthcare professional with an interest in Parkinson's
- I work for a Parkinson's disease organisation
- Other
CAPTCHA
*
- By proceeding you agree to our
Comments
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Boston Scientific receives safety approval for deep brain stimulation product

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 22 December 2017

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

sponsored article

Advances

VIDEO: Directional deep brain stimulation: novel treatment options for all Parkinson’s patients

Interviews

Young onset Parkinson’s: “How I look is not how I feel”

sponsored article

Perspectives

“I love my life, even with Parkinson’s disease”

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Could dance help to treat Parkinson’s disease?

Vineyard pesticides may be linked to Parkinson’s disease

{title}

Subscribe

Boston Scientific receives safety approval for deep brain stimulation product

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 22 December 2017

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

sponsored article

Advances

VIDEO: Directional deep brain stimulation: novel treatment options for all Parkinson’s patients

Interviews

Young onset Parkinson’s: “How I look is not how I feel”

sponsored article

Perspectives

“I love my life, even with Parkinson’s disease”

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Could dance help to treat Parkinson’s disease?

Vineyard pesticides may be linked to Parkinson’s disease

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in