Category: Parkinson's Disease: Non-Motor Symptoms
Objective: To characterize psychological traits in patients who pursue focused ultrasound (FUS) versus deep brain stimulation (DBS) for tremor management
Background: Psychosocial characteristics can determine attitudes toward medical intervention and treatment prognosis. The Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) has been used to characterize such traits in pre-DBS patients with PD, although no data exist regarding FUS candidates.
Method: Patients with ET and PD presenting to our center for FUS or DBS surgery were compared using independent t-test for demographics, psychological diagnosis at time of pre-op exam, disease duration, self-reported HRQOL measures (Neurology-Quality of Life Social subscale, Illness Conceptualization Questionnaire (ICQ), MBMD, and mood measures (BDI-II, PHQ-9 GAD-7). Mean difference significance testing was set to α = .05. Data trends were set at α = .10 level.
Results: Patients seeking FUS are significantly more likely to be not married, and those pursuing DBS report feeling more pessimistic and dejected than the FUS group. There was a trend for FUS candidates to have coping mechanisms that allow them to be more sociable, confident, domineering, and tough-minded. Patients opting for DBS reported a trend toward feeling more socially isolated than the FUS group. DBS candidates also trended towards being more dis-inclined to follow medical recommendations.
Conclusion: Level of psychosocial support might dictate the type of surgery that patients select, with FUS seemingly more appealing than DBS to those without a partner. Those pursuing DBS seem to experience significant pessimism and greater social isolation, and there could be utility of counseling and patient education for optimizing prognosis.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
D. Kim, S. O'Neill, S. Murthy, A. Waters, C. Palmese. Behavioral health characteristics of pre-surgical Focused Ultrasound and Deep Brain Stimulation candidates [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2024; 39 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/behavioral-health-characteristics-of-pre-surgical-focused-ultrasound-and-deep-brain-stimulation-candidates/. Accessed October 9, 2024.« Back to 2024 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/behavioral-health-characteristics-of-pre-surgical-focused-ultrasound-and-deep-brain-stimulation-candidates/