New ultrasound treatment developed to improve Parkinson’s disease symptoms

A new ultrasound treatment has developed to help improve Parkinson’s disease symptoms. 

The procedure is minimally invasive and has proven to be successful in reducing tremors, mobility and other physical symptoms. 

The New England Journal of Medicine published the study, which involved 94 Parkinson’s disease patients.

Randomly selected members of the group underwent the focused ultrasound procedure, while the rest had a ‘placebo’ procedure. 

Around 70% of patients who received the real treatment were shown to be successfully responding in the three month follow-up, compared to 32% in the control group. 

A year later, we are still seeing a successful response from up to two thirds of those who initially experienced an improvement in symptoms following the procedure. 

Trials took place at the University of Maryland Medical Center and 15 other sites in North America, Asia, and Europe.

Howard Eisenberg, Professor of Neurosurgery at UMSOM said: “These results are very promising and offer Parkinson’s disease patients a new form of therapy to manage their symptoms. There is no incision involved, which means no risk of a serious infection or brain bleeding.”

145,000 people in the UK currently live with Parkinson’s Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that impacts the brain’s ability to produce dopamine and usually worsens over time. 

Key symptoms include: tremors/uncontrollable shaking and problems with balance and coordination. 

This procedure could mark a huge turning point for Parkinson’s Disease treatment and we hope to see it change lives for the better in the near future. 

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