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ObjectivesTo assess the prevalence and the cumulative incidence of dementia at short-, medium- and long-term follow-up after deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) (at 1, 5, and 10 years) and to evaluate potential risk factors for postoperative dementia.MethodsThe presence of dementia (according to the DSM-V) was retrospectively evaluated at each postoperative follow-up in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who underwent bilateral STN-DBS. Preoperative and perioperative risk factors of developing postoperative dementia were also investigated. Demographic data, disease features, medications, comorbidities, nonmotor symptoms, PD motor scales, neuropsychological scales at baseline, and perioperative complications were collected for each patient.ResultsA total of 175 patients were included, and 104 were available at 10-year follow-up. Dementia prevalence was 2.3% at 1 year, 8.5% at 5 years, and 29.8% at 10 years. Dementia cumulative incidence at 1, 5, and 10 years was 2.3%, 10.9%, and 25.7%, respectively. The corresponding dementia incidence rate was 35.6 per 1,000 person-years. Male sex, higher age, hallucinations, lower frontal score at baseline, and perioperative cerebral hemorrhage were predictors of dementia.ConclusionsIn patients with PD with longstanding STN-DBS, dementia prevalence and incidence are not higher than those reported in the general PD population. Except for few patients with perioperative cerebral hemorrhage, STN-DBS is cognitively safe, and does not provide dementia risk factors in addition to those reported for PD itself. Identification of dementia predictors in this population may improve patient selection and information concerning the risk of poor cognitive outcome.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) on motor complications in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) beyond 15 years after surgery.MethodsData on motor complications, quality of life (QoL), activities of daily living, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale motor scores, dopaminergic treatment, stimulation measures, and side effects of STN-DBS were retrospectively retrieved and compared before surgery, at 1 year, and beyond 15 years after bilateral STN-DBS.ResultsFifty-one patients with 17.06 ± 2.18 years STN-DBS follow-up were recruited. Compared to baseline, the time spent with dyskinesia and the time spent in the “off” state were reduced by 75% (p < 0.001) and by 58.7% (p < 0.001), respectively. Moreover, dopaminergic drugs were reduced by 50.6% (p < 0.001). Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire total score and the emotional function and social function domains improved 13.8% (p = 0.005), 13.6% (p = 0.01), and 29.9% (p < 0.001), respectively. Few and mostly manageable device-related adverse events were observed during the follow-up.ConclusionsSTN-DBS is effective beyond 15 years from the intervention, notably with significant improvement in motor complications and stable reduction of dopaminergic drugs. Furthermore, despite the natural continuous progression of PD with worsening of levodopa-resistant motor and nonmotor symptoms over the years, patients undergoing STN-DBS could maintain an improvement in QoL.Classification of EvidenceThis study provides Class IV evidence that, for patients with PD, STN-DBS remains effective at treating motor complications 15 years after surgery.

Objective:To report on the long-term outcomes of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) in Parkinson disease (PD), essential tremor (ET), and dystonic tremor.Methods:One hundred fifty-nine patients with PD, ET, and dystonia underwent VIM DBS due to refractory tremor at the Grenoble University Hospital. The primary outcome was a change in the tremor scores at 1 year after surgery and at the latest follow-up (21 years). Secondary outcomes included the relationship between tremor score reduction over time and the active contact position. Tremor scores (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III, items 20 and 21; Fahn, Tolosa, Marin Tremor Rating Scale) and the coordinates of the active contacts were recorded.Results:Ninety-eight patients were included. Patients with PD and ET had sustained improvement in tremor with VIM stimulation (mean improvement, 70% and 66% at 1 year; 63% and 48% beyond 10 years, respectively; p < 0.05). There was no significant loss of stimulation benefit over time (p > 0.05). Patients with dystonia exhibited a moderate response at 1-year follow-up (41% tremor improvement, p = 0.027), which was not sustained after 5 years (30% improvement, p = 0.109). The more dorsal active contacts' coordinates in the right lead were related to a better outcome 1 year after surgery (p = 0.029). During the whole follow-up, forty-eight patients (49%) experienced minor side effects, whereas 2 (2.0%) had serious events (brain hemorrhage and infection).Conclusions:VIM DBS is an effective long-term (beyond 10 years) treatment for tremor in PD and ET. Effects on dystonic tremor were modest and transient.Classification of evidence:This provides Class IV evidence. It is an observational study.

ObjectiveTo determine the postoperative attempted and completed suicide rates after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) in a single-center cohort and to determine factors associated with attempted and completed suicide.MethodsWe retrospectively included all patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who underwent bilateral STN-DBS surgery at the Grenoble University Hospital between 1993 and 2016. For each patient who committed or attempted suicide, 2 patients with PD with STN-DBS without any suicidal behaviors were matched for age (±1 year), sex, and year of surgery (±2 years). Clinical data were collected from medical records. Detailed preoperative and postoperative neuropsychological evaluations, including frontal and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores, were gathered.ResultsA total of 534 patients with PD were included. Completed and attempted suicide percentages were 0.75% (4 of 534) and 4.11% (22 of 534), respectively. The observed suicide rate in the first postoperative year (187.20 of 100,000 per year, 1 of 534) was higher than the expected National Observatory on Suicide Risks rate adjusted for age and sex (standardized mortality ratio 8.1). This rate remained similar over the second and third postoperative years. In a comparison of the 26 patients completing/attempting suicide and the 52 controls, the first group showed more frequent history of suicidal ideation/suicide attempts and psychotic symptoms, higher percentage of family psychiatric history, higher psychiatric medication use, and higher preoperative frontal and BDI scores on neuropsychological evaluations.ConclusionsSuicide behaviors can occur after STN-DBS, especially during the first 3 years. A careful multidisciplinary assessment and long-term follow-up are recommended to recognize and treat this potentially preventable risk for mortality.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be conceptualized as a disorder of self-control and behavioral inhibition.1 Recent studies2,3 suggested interest in deep brain stimulation (DBS) of different subcortical brain targets such as the nucleus accumbens, anterior internal capsule/ventral striatum, and subthalamic nucleus (STN) in severe, resistant OCD. STN is a critical node of the indirect and hyperdirect basal ganglia–thalamocortical circuit. STN-DBS may release its function as a brake on behavioral programs, disinhibiting habitual responses and enabling more flexible goal-directed behavior control in OCD.4,5 Little is known about long-term outcome of STN-DBS in OCD. Based on experience in Parkinson disease, STN-DBS can induce a change from apathetic to disinhibited behavior.6 This target has also a potential impact on addictions.4,6

Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is frequently associated with intractable epilepsy.1 In a small number of patients, direct recording with stereotactic EEG (S-EEG) demonstrated ictal onset in the heterotopic tissue, mostly associated with simultaneous involvement of the surrounding cortex or mesial temporal lobe (MTL).2–5 Selected patients seem to benefit from extended surgical resection of the PNH and the involved cortex or MTL.3–5 Intrinsic epileptogenicity of a PNH and seizure-free outcome after selective resection of the heterotopia have not been demonstrated. We present the case of a left-handed 23-year-old woman with intractable epilepsy since age 17 who had failed six antiepileptic medications. She had a normal neurologic and cognitive examination and no specific risk factors for epilepsy. The semiology consisted of a rising epigastric sensation followed by behavioral arrest, staring with oral automatisms and postictal aphasia, occurring in clusters every 2 weeks. On surface video-EEG, interictal slowing in the left posterior temporal region was found. Three of her typical events were recorded with ictal onset over the left midtemporal region. The MRI showed a signal abnormality consistent with a PNH abutting the posterior horn of the left lateral ventricle (figure, A …

In order to assess the impact of bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation in PD on quality of life, the PD Quality of Life questionnaire was assessed in 60 consecutive patients with PD before surgery and 12 months after surgery. All aspects of quality of life, including motor (+48%), systemic (+34%), emotional (+29%), and social (+63%) dimensions, significantly improved with long-term STN stimulation.