Pedunculopontine Nucleus Stimulation for Gait Freezing and Postural Instability in Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

Over 64,000 Australians have Parkinson’s disease. Most patients with Parkinson’s disease ultimately develop gait ‘freezing’ and poor balance, which impair quality of life and cause falls. Unfortunately, gait freezing and poor balance often don’t improve with conventional treatments. We are therefore developing a new treatment for these symptoms, which involves implanting a pacemaker into a very deep brain region called the “Pedunculopontine Nucleus’.