Studies have showed that those who have Parkinson’s disease are much more likely to suffer from depression. Not too long ago I wrote a blog about the connection of Parkinson’s disease and depression. For those who had advanced in the later stages of Parkinson’s disease (which many of them suffered from depression) deep brain stimulation was used to help reduce some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
As of late researchers have noticed that deep brain stimulation has cut people’s depression by 50% for about half of the people that are treated. For the last twenty years deep brain stimulation has been able to help people that have suffered from Parkinson’s disease, for some it does miracles in reducing the affects of Parkinson’s disease. Now medical professionals are using deep brain stimulation for those who suffer from depression. Deep brain stimulation is accomplished by placing electrodes in parts of the brain that seem to be malfunctioning. When the electrodes are in place they emit tiny, adjustable, electrical shocks that help stimulate the parts of the brain that may not be functioning appropriately.
I love it when certain sectors of medical research are able to help other sectors. I feel like the medical world is much smaller then we make it out to be, at least that’s what I think. I feel like we delineate medical stuff too much and miss out on the drugs, medical practices, and knowledge that can overlap between medical sectors, such as depression and Parkinson’s disease.
