Session Information
Date: Monday, June 20, 2016
Session Title: Surgical therapy: Parkinson's disease
Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: To evaluate the effect of low frequency (60Hz) deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) on gait in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in randomized double blind cross-over study.
Background: A few studies reported effects of low frequency DBS on gait and freezing of gait (FOG) in PD patients with different results.
Methods: Thirty three off-medicated patients with advanced PD (average age 60.0±(SD)6.4 years, 5 F, 28 M, Hoehn&Yahr stage 2.7±0.7, PD duration 17.9±4.3 years) treated with STN-DBS for 5.0±3.4years were involved to the study. The Mini Mental State Examination score was 28±2 and Beck Depression Inventory 7.7±5. Each patient was tested in three different conditions in a random order: (i) in 60 Hz STN-DBS, (ii) in130 Hz STN-DBS and (iii) with STN DBS bilaterally switched OFF. The examination started always with 60-min delay after switch between conditions. The battery of motor tests included the UPDRS III, objective evaluation of FOG (Ziegler test), examination of gait including Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and assessment with GATRite system.
Results: There was no significant difference between 60Hz and 130 Hz either in TUG, Ziegler test or in any of gait parameters from GATRite examination (velocity, step length, width of base, and double support time). We found a significant difference in UPDRS III score which was lower in 130 Hz stimulation (mean 26.61±2.9) compared to 60 Hz (35.2±15.2; p<0.001). Despite these findings, 5 patients choose to keep 60Hz STN-DBS setup because of subjective decrease of falls. More than one year later, they still prefer this lower frequency stimulation setting.
Conclusions: The 60Hz STN-DBS had no significant effect on gait compared to 130Hz STN-DBS in our group of patients. In spite of this objective finding a small proportion of subjects (15%) preferred 60 Hz DBS due to a subjectively reported decrease of falls.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
H. Brozová, K. Peterová, E. Ruzicka, J. Rusz, E. Plananská, L. Brabcová, R. Jech. The effects of 60 Hz frequency of STN-DBS on gait in Parkinson’s disease [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-effects-of-60-hz-frequency-of-stn-dbs-on-gait-in-parkinsons-disease/. Accessed May 24, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-effects-of-60-hz-frequency-of-stn-dbs-on-gait-in-parkinsons-disease/