Abstract

AGUILAR, Oscar M; SOTO, Camila A  and  ESGUERRA, Mauricio. NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION OF PARKINSON DISEASE: THEORETICAL REVIEW. Suma Psicol. [online]. 2011, vol.18, n.2, pp.89-98. ISSN 0121-4381.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder attributable to midbrain dopaminergic cell loss within the substantia nigra. This causes a dysfunction of the basal ganglia manifested by motor symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia among others. With Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), neurosurgery has emerged as a therapeutic option, being the subthalamic nucleus its main target area. Studies show significant improvement in motor deficits, but there is no knowledge on the neuropsychological changes in patients after DBS. A review of several studies that have researched the cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes concluded that most cognitive skills are either maintained or improved after DBS, but there may be adverse emotional and behavioral changes that are related to the core brain where the electrode is implanted and with its premorbid personality characteristics.

Keywords : deep brain stimulation; neurosurgery; Parkinson's disease; subthalamic nucleus; neurocogration.

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