Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) involves implanting electrodes within certain areas of the brain. These electrodes produce electrical impulses that regulate abnormal impulses. Or the electrical impulses can affect certain cells and chemicals within the brain.

The amount of stimulation in deep brain stimulation is controlled by a pacemaker-like device placed under the skin in your upper chest. A wire that travels under your skin connects this device to the electrodes in your brain.

Deep brain stimulation is commonly used to treat a number of conditions, such as:

• Parkinson's disease
• Essential tremor
• Dystonia
• Epilepsy
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Deep brain stimulation is also being studied as a potential treatment for:

• Tourette syndrome
• Huntington's disease and chorea
• Chronic pain
• Cluster headache

Why it's done

Deep brain stimulation is an established treatment for people with movement disorders, such as essential tremor, Parkinson's disease and dystonia, and psychiatric conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. It's also approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration to reduce seizures in difficult-to-treat epilepsy.