Deep-brain stimulation, DBS, has been used to help patients with Parkinson's disease have better control of their physical movements and involves implanting electrodes to stimulate deep regions of the brain.
The invasive procedure has been used mostly with patients who have not responded to other treatments over the last 10 years.
But a new study reveals that DBS can also benefit patients who are in earlier stages of the disease.
"The conclusions of this study are really exciting," said David Charles, chief medical officer of the Vanderbilt Neuroscience Institute where he is also the director of the movement disorders clinic.
"Most likely it will be a transformative study in our understanding of when to apply deep-brain stimulation therapy in Parkinson's disease."
Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the brain that eventually leads to tremors and difficulty with walking, movement and coordination---according to the National Library of Medicine.
Medications are usually the first line of defense when a diagnosis is first determined. But as the disease progresses, the dosages that previously worked no longer last as long as they did and the disease becomes more unpredictable.
When the disease progresses to a point where medications are no longer effective, DBS is often the next step.
However, there has been some risk associated with the invasive procedure that keeps patients and physicians weary about using it as a treatment option.
Some complications include infections and brain hemorrhaging, which could lead to paralysis, stroke or speech impairment, according to Scientific American.
The study, conducted by French and German institutions, included 251 people with mid-stage Parkinson's disease and that have been living with it for an average of 7.5 years. The average age of the subjects was 52-year-old.
Study participants were younger and in earlier stages of the disease than would typically undergo the DBS procedure.
Quality of life was determined based on a 39-question survey that included questions regarding well being, discomfort, mobility and daily life activities.
The multicenter trial was based on the question of whether DBS can help patients who are in the earlier stages of the disease.
And it was determined that 26 percent of the participants displayed an improvement in their quality of life following DBS and medication for two years.
Another group in the study was only given standard medical treatments alone and recorded a 1 percent decrease in quality of life.
The study concluded that DBS, when combined with medicine, is more effective than just medicine alone when the procedure is performed during the early stages of the disease.
"It's not as if it was a little bit better. The numbers on quality of life and motor performance were dramatic," Charles said, who did not take part in the study but is now working on his own research on DBS in the U.S.
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