Psychiatric symptoms following surgery for Parkinson's disease with an emphasis on subthalamic stimulation

Bilateral subthalamic stimulation is a very effective neurosurgical treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease. Despite the range and frequency of psychiatric symptoms occurring in the postoperative state, most of these symptoms are transient and manageable. In clinical practice, preoperative psychiatric vulnerability, as with that of preoperative cognitive status, takes on an important role. Psychiatric assessment and active preoperative and postoperative intervention can potentially modify psychiatric outcomes. These psychiatric and psychological issues will take on greater importance, particularly with the rapid expansion of the number of neurosurgical sites and the need for adequate assessment and optimal management of patients. The paucity of the literature underscores the need for well-designed studies on psychiatric issues investigating both pathophysiology and clinical outcomes.