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Minim Invasive Neurosurg 2002; 45(2): 91-96
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-32495
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

High Frequency Stimulation of the Basal Ganglia for the Treatment of Movement Disorders: Current Status and Clinical Results

V.  M.  Tronnier1 , W.  Fogel2 , M.  Krause2 , M.  M.  Bonsanto1 , J.  Tronnier1 , A.  Heck1 , K.  Münkel1 , S.  Kunze1
  • 1Department of Neurological Surgery, University Hospital, Heidelberg College of Medicine, Germany
  • 2Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Heidelberg College of Medicine, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
25 June 2002 (online)

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Abstract

High frequency stimulation of the basal ganglia has gained much interest during the last years. Based on the reevaluation of the results of functional neurosurgery for movement disorders from Leksell's group, pallidotomy as lesional procedure was the first functional operation that underwent a renaissance for the treatment of movement disorders. The work by Benabid and Siegfried who carried out thalamic high frequency stimulation to suppress tremor, the knowledge about deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of chronic pain as well as better understanding in basal ganglia physiology and the development of reliable stimulation hardware led to an increasing number of centers worldwide who currently apply high frequency DBS for different movement disorders. In the present review the current status of DBS for movement disorders is presented and the results with high frequency stimulation targeted at different brain areas are summarized.

Key words

Basal Ganglia - Deep Brain Stimulation - Dystonia - Essential Tremor - Globus Pallidus - Parkinson's Disease - Subthalamic Nucleus - Thalamus

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Prof. Dr. V. M. Tronnier, M.D. 

Department of Neurological Surgery · University Hospital · Heidelberg College of Medicine

Im Neuenheimer Feld 400

69120 Heidelberg

Germany ·

Phone: +49-6221-566307

Fax: +49-6221-565534

Email: Volker_Tronnier@med.uni_heidelberg.de