Does subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation affect the static balance at different frequencies?

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) affects motor control, including balance.
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a therapeutic option for PD, targeting the subthalamic nucleus (STN).
• The impact of varying STN-DBS frequencies on static balance requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of bilateral STN-DBS at different frequencies on static balance in PD patients.
• To determine if specific stimulation frequencies enhance or impair postural stability.
• To analyze the quantitative measures of center of pressure during static balance tests.

Main Methods:

• Twenty idiopathic PD patients who underwent STN-DBS were included.
• Static balance was assessed using the TecnoBody Rehabilitation System at 230, 130, 90, 60 Hz, and off-stimulation.
• Tests included stabilometric assessments with eyes open/closed and single-leg stances, measuring center of pressure parameters.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in static balance tests were observed across frequencies (p>0.05).
• A trend towards better balance was noted at 90 Hz.
• A significant difference in forward-backward sway was found between off-stimulation and 130 Hz (p=0.04).

Conclusions:

• Bilateral STN-DBS does not adversely affect static balance in Parkinson's disease patients.
• Low-frequency (90 Hz) STN-DBS may offer benefits for static equilibrium.
• Posturography systems are valuable for precise, quantitative balance assessments in DBS studies.