Pilot study assessing the feasibility of applying bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in very early stage Parkinson's disease: study design and rationale.

Deep brain stimulation provides significant symptomatic benefit for people with advanced Parkinson's disease whose symptoms are no longer adequately controlled with medication. Preliminary evidence suggests that subthalamic nucleus stimulation may also be efficacious in early Parkinson's disease, and results of animal studies suggest that it may spare dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra.