Session Information
Date: Saturday, October 6, 2018
Session Title: Parkinson’s Disease: Clinical Trials, Pharmacology And Treatment
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Hall 3FG
Objective: To investigate the long-term effect of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on freezing of gait (FOG) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) by using both objective and subjective assessments.
Background: STN-DBS is effective against FOG in patients with advanced PD; however, whether this effect persists over the long-term is debated.
Methods: From our prospective registry, patients with PD were included who received bilateral STN-DBS with a complete set of videos of a 5-meter walking task at baseline and at the 5- or 7-year postoperative follow-up. We blindly analyzed the FOG incidence and its severity from the videotapes at baseline and at 1-, 2-, and 5- or 7-years follow-up. We also compared the axial score from the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)-III, UPDRS-II item 14 (freezing), and FOG-questionnaire (FOG-Q). Postoperatively, video-based FOG analysis and the axial score were evaluated under four conditions (Med-off/DBS-off; Med-off/DBS-on; Med-on/DBS-off; Med-on/DBS-on), and UPDRS-II item 14 and FOG-Q were evaluated under two conditions (Med-off/DBS-on; Med-on/DBS-on).
Results: During the Med-off, DBS-on condition improved FOG outcomes, except for the video-based FOG severity, up to the last follow-up compared with baseline. Video-based FOG outcomes and the axial score during the Med-off were improved with DBS-on condition up to the last follow-up compared with DBS-off condition. During the Med-on, DBS-on condition did not improve any FOG outcome compared with baseline; however, it improved the video-based FOG outcomes up to the 2-year follow-up and the axial score up to the last follow-up compared with DBS-off condition, respectively. The results are summarized in Figure 1-4.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that STN-DBS has a long-term effect on Med-off FOG in patients with PD. However, STN-DBS did not show a long-term effect on Med-on FOG at the 5- to 7-year follow-up; although, it had a short-term effect until the 2-year follow-up.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
R. Kim, C.W. Shin, H. Park, A. Kim, H.J. Kim, S.H. Paek, B. Jeon. Long-term effect of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation on freezing of gait in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2018; 33 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/long-term-effect-of-subthalamic-nucleus-deep-brain-stimulation-on-freezing-of-gait-in-patients-with-advanced-parkinsons-disease/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2018 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/long-term-effect-of-subthalamic-nucleus-deep-brain-stimulation-on-freezing-of-gait-in-patients-with-advanced-parkinsons-disease/