Abstract

Deep brain stimulation is one of the device-aided therapies and improves the quality of life in advanced Parkinson’s disease patients if performed in good candidates. Subthalamic nucleus is the main neuroanatomical structure for this surgery, however thalamus VIM and globus pallidus internus are other surgical targets. A specific team chooses and evaluates the candidates for deep brain stimulation surgery. The deep brain stimulation team consists of a movement disorder neurologist, a neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist, a neuroradiologist and an anesthetist. Patient’s response of motor symptoms to levodopa treatment and other contraindications are overviewed and the patient is prepared for deep brain stimulation surgery. In this article, we discuss the criteria to choose suitable patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease for deep brain stimulation surgery and which anatomical targets may be appropriate for this.