Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Subthalamic nucleus stimulation for Parkinson's disease preferentially improves akinesia of proximal arm movements compared to finger movements.
Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) reduces akinesia in Parkinson's disease but its impact on fine motor functions was unknown. We assessed the effects of DBS and a levodopa (L-dopa) test on the timing of the precision grip in 18 patients. ⋯ Other akinesia items and the time for build-up of lifting force were equally improved in both conditions. This suggests that routine STN-DBS might not be equally effective on all aspects of fine motor functions.