Diepe hersenstimulatie bij een patiënt met een juveniele vorm van de ziekte van Parkinson

The medical history of a 23-year-old patient who underwent deep brain stimulation as a therapy for young onset Parkinson's disease, is reported. Deep brain stimulation is a generally accepted treatment for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. In most patients, a clear improvement in motoric symptoms and an increase in quality of life are observed. However, there are also indications that deep brain stimulation has a major impact on affection, cognition, behavior, identity, personality and self-perception. Little is known about these psychosocial effects and their repercussions on the individual patient, this is consequently accompanied by ethical ramifications. As the therapy is relatively recent, the long-term effects of deep brain stimulation are still largely unknown, which means caution should be exercised in a younger population. It is important to acknowledge all aspects of the patient's life and to avoid only focusing on the improvement of the clinical motoric symptoms.

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