Journal of neurosurgery
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2022
Meta AnalysisOptimal targeting of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus for epilepsy: a meta-analysis.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT) has been shown to be an effective therapeutic option for select patients with limbic epilepsy. However, the optimal target and electrode position for this indication remains undefined. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to quantify the association between active contact location and outcomes across all published series of ANT DBS. ⋯ Accurate targeting of the ANT is crucial to successful DBS outcomes in epilepsy. These findings suggest that stimulation within the ANT subregions adjacent to the MTT improves outcomes.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2022
Review Meta AnalysisIdiopathic Parkinson's disease and chronic pain in the era of deep brain stimulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Pain is the most common nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) and is often undertreated. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) effectively mitigates the motor symptoms of this multisystem neurodegenerative disease; however, its therapeutic effect on nonmotor symptoms, especially pain, remains inconclusive. While there is a critical need to help this large PD patient population, guidelines for managing this significant disease burden are absent. Herein, the authors systematically reviewed the literature and conducted a meta-analysis to study the influence of traditional (subthalamic nucleus [STN] and globus pallidus internus [GPi]) DBS on chronic pain in patients with PD. ⋯ The results indicated that traditional STN and GPi DBS can have a favorable impact on pain control and improve pain scores by 40% from baseline in PD patients experiencing chronic pain. Further trials are needed to identify the subtype of PD patients whose pain benefits from DBS and to identify the mechanisms by which DBS improves pain in PD patients.