Deep Brain Stimulation News and Research

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Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure used to treat a variety of disabling neurological symptoms—most commonly the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), such as tremor, rigidity, stiffness, slowed movement, and walking problems. The procedure is also used to treat essential tremor, a common neurological movement disorder. At present, the procedure is used only for patients whose symptoms cannot be adequately controlled with medications.

Study highlights need for XDP specific diagnostic assays

Scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School have developed a targeted genetic test to improve diagnosis for X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP), a rare and disabling movement disorder that affects primarily men of Filipino ancestry.

17 Nov 2025

PRIME fiber-optic device can manipulate neural activity deep in the brain

Fiber-optic technology revolutionized the telecommunications industry and may soon do the same for brain research.

4 Nov 2025

Emerging neuromodulation techniques for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder

In a peer-reviewed article published today in Brain Medicine, a European research team presents a focused review of emerging neuromodulation techniques for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

28 Oct 2025

Mount Sinai receives $4.5 million grant to investigate neural mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is pleased to announce it has received a three-year, $4.5 million grant from BD2: Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder and pioneer novel neuromodulation-based treatment strategies.

28 Oct 2025

New mechanism behind potentially fatal type of epilepsy identified

A team led by the UAB Institut de Neurociències (INc-UAB) has for the first time identified the mechanism behind a potentially fatal type of epilepsy, a symptom of mitochondrial diseases.

27 Oct 2025

Tailored deep brain stimulation offers new hope for hard-to-treat epilepsy

Doctors and researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC have developed a new treatment for epilepsy patients who don't respond to medication and aren't candidates for surgery. Their approach, published today in Nature Communications, uses deep brain stimulation (DBS) that is tailored to each patient's unique brain wiring.

21 Oct 2025

World's largest-ever clinical trial launched to test treatments for Parkinson's disease

The world's largest-ever clinical trial of treatments to slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's disease has launched, led by researchers at UCL and Newcastle University.

16 Oct 2025

AI-powered wearable device could cut Parkinson’s care costs

With STAT-ON™, continuous monitoring of Parkinson's symptoms can enhance treatment efficacy and significantly lower healthcare costs for patients and systems.

15 Oct 2025

Deep brain stimulation shows promise in reducing severe stuttering

While stuttering was believed to have purely psychological causes up until about 30 years ago, scientists today attribute it to a variety of factors capable of contributing to its development.

9 Oct 2025

Precision targeting of the centromedian nucleus offers hope for people with drug-resistant epilepsy

It is estimated that one-third of the 50 million people worldwide with epilepsy are resistant to anti-seizure medications. These patients, having drug-resistant epilepsy, have limited treatment options beyond surgery to control their seizures.

16 Sep 2025

Ultrasound device enables precise non-invasive stimulation of deep brain regions

An ultrasound device that can precisely stimulate areas deep in the brain without surgery has been developed by researchers from UCL and the University of Oxford, opening up new possibilities for neurological research and treatment of disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

5 Sep 2025

Prefrontal cortex biopsies during deep brain stimulation surgery do not increase risk of adverse events

Obtaining prefrontal cortex biopsies during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery in living patients does not increase the risk of adverse events or cognitive decline compared to standard DBS procedures that don't involve biopsies, a team of clinical research scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has demonstrated.

4 Sep 2025

New neurochemical signature distinguishes Parkinson’s disease from essential tremor

Researchers have identified a neurochemical signature that sets Parkinson's disease apart from essential tremor - two of the most common movement disorders, but each linked to distinct changes in the brain.

2 Sep 2025

Chronic neuron overactivation may drive Parkinson's disease progression

Certain brain cells are responsible for coordinating smooth, controlled movements of the body. But when those cells are constantly overactivated for weeks on end, they degenerate and ultimately die.

28 Aug 2025

New light-based therapy shows promise for improving cognitive function in Alzheimer’s

Researchers have developed a new light technology that appears to improve cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients in clinical trials.

26 Aug 2025

New research highlights exercise's broad impact in Parkinson's disease

It was the early 2000s when researchers first showed that exercise can help relieve the tremors that are common with Parkinson's Disease.

4 Aug 2025

Optical stimulation of brain region boosts motor function in Parkinson’s models

Researchers are investigating the mechanisms and identifying new areas of the brain that can benefit patients when stimulated.

27 May 2025

Public views vary widely about neurotechnologies for brain-based conditions

Given the rise in brain-based conditions and the growing development and investment in neurotechnologies to target them, it is important to understand how the public views these interventions and whether they would be willing to use them.

23 May 2025

Insights into the brain's switching mechanism could improve Parkinson's treatment

New USC research offers an unseen insight into how the brain shifts gears. The researchers discovered that our innate ability to make quick changes in motor function are the result of a unique brain mechanism.

28 Apr 2025

Blood test detects Parkinson’s years before symptoms appear using RNA markers

A new study identifies a blood-based biomarker that detects pre-symptomatic Parkinson’s disease by measuring the ratio of specific nuclear and mitochondrial transfer RNA fragments. The test outperforms standard clinical tools and may also reflect disease mechanisms related to impaired protein synthesis.

14 Apr 2025