Despite the effect on swimming, he said all nine patients preferred to keep their stimulators on, because they provided so much relief from symptoms. Trying to swim, he could not synchronize his arms and legs, and turned his whole trunk in an awkward, useless way. Deep brain stimulators, first introduced more than 20 years ago, emit electrical signals that interfere with the abnormal electrical impulses in the brain that cause Parkinson’s symptoms. Sometimes described as pacemakers for the brain, the devices can provide great relief from tremors, stiffness and difficulty moving. Dr. Baumann and his colleagues suggested that in some patients the signals may somehow affect a brain region that is crucial for coordinating limb movement.

Source: New York Times November 27, 2019 21:00 UTC