Magnetic Stimulation Found Effective for Parkinson's

Main Category: Parkinson's Disease
Article Date: 02 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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In the United States, more than 1 million Americans have Parkinson's disease.

It is a neurological condition that can cause slowness and instability, but a new type of therapy can improve both of these problems.

A pulse of induced electrical current targets areas of the brain that control movement. This is done inorder to improve stiffness in patients. To make them move faster than they did before, without magnetic stimulation.

For nearly 15 years, Criner has dealt with Parkinson's disease. He says, "It affects me. It really does. I mean this is a disease of the brain, of the mind, and it plays very big games on your head."

Criner recently joined a new study with a neurologist who was testing transcranial magnetic stimulation.

"We think that TMS makes patients' brains more sensitive to the medication he or she is already taking," says specialists at the National Institute of Health.

Researchers however say their results have been short-lived. This therapy has been tested and used in people with depression for more than a decade and Doctors say the study with Parkinson's patients is likely continue for several years.

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