Experimental neurology
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Experimental neurology · Jul 2011
Deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermediate nucleus in patients with essential tremor: stimulation below intercommissural line is more efficient but equally effective as stimulation above.
The posterior subthalamic area (PSA), ventral to the intercommissural line (ICL) and the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM), has been suggested as a promising target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients suffering from essential tremor (ET). In this study the clinical benefit of VIM and PSA DBS on postural tremor suppression was systematically evaluated in a two step approach with a 3D ultrasound kinematic analysis tool. ⋯ The data suggest that sub-ICL stimulation may be more efficient compared to thalamic stimulation but equally effective when patients' individual stimulation parameters are used.