Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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Introduction. Gait speed is often used as a proxy for gait quality. However, some users of FES devices for correction of dropped foot choose to continue to use the device despite no significant change in speed. The Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) was used to evaluate the effects of the Odstock Dropped Foot Stimulator (ODFS) on perceived quality of life (QOL) for people with stroke and multiple sclerosis (MS) and was compared with change in walking speed. ⋯ These were significantly greater for the stroke than the MS group for Competence, p= 0.04 and Adaptability, p= 0.006. There was no significant correlation between changes in PIADS and changes in walking speed. Conclusions. FES for correction of dropped foot has a beneficial effect on perceived QOL for people with stroke and MS but this is not correlated with an objective measures of gait.
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Objectives. Medically refractory cervical dystonia has recently been treated using deep brain stimulation (DBS), targeting the subthalamic nucleus (STN). There has been limited literature regarding short-term outcomes and no literature regarding long-term outcomes for refractory cervical dystonia following DBS of the STN. Materials and Methods. Two patients with medically refractory cervical dystonia underwent STN DBS. ⋯ The STN and SNr were easily identified as having activity similar to off-state Parkinson's patients. Conclusions. DBS therapy for cervical dystonia utilizing the STN as the surgical target may be novel and may be an alternative target to the globus pallidus internus as supported by this first long-term outcome report. Further studies need to be performed to confirm these conclusions.
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Objective. To clarify the efficacy of subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation in young-onset Parkinson's disease (PD), we compared the effects of STN stimulation on the motor symptoms between young-onset PD (YOPD) and late-onset PD (LOPD). Methods. We analyzed the effects of STN stimulation on motor function and motor fluctuations in 15 patients with YOPD, and 113 patients with LOPD who underwent STN stimulation during the same period. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was evaluated during the on-period and off-period, which are defined as the times at which the motor symptoms are the best and worst during the daily active time with sustaining anti-parkinsonian drugs. ⋯ Conclusions. STN stimulation can reduce the LED and improve motor fluctuations in patients with YOPD. The effects of STN stimulation on the motor symptoms of YOPD patients are superior to those in LOPD. The present findings suggest that YOPD patients suffering from several problems related to pharmacological therapy are probably good candidates for STN stimulation.
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Objectives. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an accepted treatment for medically intractable epilepsy. However, predictive factors associated with responsiveness to VNS remained unclear. We therefore sought to identify predictive factors that influence responsiveness to VNS in both children and adults. ⋯ Transient hoarseness and cough were observed in eight of all patients and wound infection and generator failure in one patient each. Conclusions. These results suggest that VNS may be a more effective treatment in children with intractable epilepsy than in adults. It remains difficult to predict which patients will respond to VNS therapy.