Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the evolution of motor symptoms (MS), non-motor symptoms (NMS) and neuropsychological functions (NF) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) in patients treated with deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nuclei (DBS).

Background: PD is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive alteration of MS and associated NMS. DBS has been shown to have favorable effects on MS in advanced stage disease. However, the impact of this therapy on NMS remains uncertain, as well as its impact on NF.

This presentation builds upon the initial findings of our monocentric prospective study, introduced at the International Congress of Movement Disorder Society in Copenhagen in 2023, by incorporating updated and additional data from patients newly included since our last report, thereby enhancing our understanding of DBS’s impact.

Method: This monocentric prospective study includes 31 patients with advanced PD who underwent DBS with follow-up visits at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months. The MS were evaluated by UPDRS part II, III and IV. The evaluation of NMS was based on UPDRS part I, NMSS, BDI, STAI-A, STAI-B and MMSE scales and neuropsychological assessments focused on spatial-temporal orientation and frontal, memory, language, and praxis functions.

Results: Over 12 months of follow-up, patients showed a statistically significant reduction in their MS, evaluated by UPDRS III (P=.002) and IV (P<.001).

NMS were also significantly reduced as shown by NMSS score (P<.001) and domains 1 (P=.050), 2 (P<.001), 3 (P=.009), 6 (P= <.001), 7 (P=.007), and 9 (P=.024).

Other NMSS and UPDRS domains showed no significant result, nor did the

anxiety & depression evaluation scores (BDI, STAI-A & STAI-B).

Cognitive evaluations, namely MMSE score and neuropsychological assessments showed no significant change.

Conclusion: This study shows the expected beneficial effect of DBS in advanced PD patients on motor symptoms but also on non-motor symptoms regarding cardiovascular, sleep/fatigue, mood/cognition, gastrointestinal tract, urinary and miscellaneous domains. No significant variation has been observed for the other non-motor scales and neuropsychological assessments. This may be explained by the lesser specificity and accuracy of the later scales.

References: This work is the extension of a poster presented in Copenhagen on 28th August 2023 at the International MDS Congress.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/deep-brain-stimulation-of-the-subthalamic-nuclei-in-advanced-parkinsons-disease-what-effects-on-motor-non-motor-and-neuropsychological-functions-a-monocentric-prospective-study-with-a-12-mont/