While Elon Musk's ambitious project Neuralink, which is intended to be used in the treatment of many neurological diseases, is being discussed on the agenda, I will talk about a treatment method that rewinds time in Parkinson's and movement disorders, Deep Brain Stimulation treatment. What exactly is " Deep Brain Stimulation "?

Deep Brain Stimulation is a method that can deliver electrical current to any point within the human brain, thus enabling the stimulation or suppression of electrical activity in the brain cells in the region where the current is delivered. In medical terms, this is called "Neuromodulation". Deep Brain Stimulation surgery is performed under local anesthesia with the patient remaining awake throughout the procedure. Two electrodes are placed in the problematic areas detected in the brain. A neurostimulator, similar to a heart pacemaker, is placed under the skin in the chest, and the electrodes are connected to that neurostimulator with extension connections that run under the skin. Importantly, this entire system operates internally, concealed from external view.

During a large part of the surgery, patients talk to their doctors and chat with them. The purpose of keeping the patient awake during surgery is to find the cells responsible for the disease and the location of the anatomical structures around them. In this way, the patient's reactions are measured and it is easier to reach the problematic area. In essence, the first moment of improvement that patients feel during the placement of the DBS electrodes into the brain begins at that moment. And of course, that first smile during the surgery appears on their faces at that moment...

With the "Microelectrode Recording and Stimulation Technique" applied in these surgeries, which "ensures the correct intervention in the correct place", the cells responsible for the disease in the brain are listened to one by one and their exact locations are determined. Consequently, a comprehensive physiological map of the brain is crafted. DBS electrodes are then meticulously positioned within the identified diseased area, with a margin of error less than 80 microns. Surgical procedures typically span 3-3.5 hours. Subsequently, the neurostimulator programming phase, lasting an average of 2-3 weeks, commences. During this stage, optimal parameters tailored to individual patients are established before discharge.

Through this transformative method that "rewinds the clock on the disease," individuals with Parkinson's disease, even those with a decade-long diagnosis, can revert to earlier stages of their illness. With this treatment, people who cannot live independently and who are disconnected from social life can find a chance to live independently again, and a significant part of them can find a chance to practice their professions again.

There is no change in the normal daily lives of patients with DBS. Patients can continue all kinds of sports activities such as tennis and billiards that are not too hard and will not cause head trauma, they can swim and ride a bicycle.

The age issue is a matter of great curiosity in DBS surgeries. In some cases, surgery may not be recommended for a young patient, while it may be recommended for an elderly patient; remember that age alone is not a criterion.

3 Features should be considered in DBS

Here are the three essential features to consider in DBS:

• *Rechargeability*: First of all, the devices must be rechargeable so that patients do not have to have their devices replaced in a short period of time. Until recently, non-rechargeable neurostimulators were used, and the their life span in Parkinson's patients was between 4-6 years. This period could be even shorter in Dystonia patients who required higher electrical current. At the end of this period, patients had to have their devices replaced before the neurostimulator ran out. With the developing technology in recent years, rechargeable neurostimulators entered clinical practice. These rechargeable neurostimulators have a lifespan of 20-25 years.

• *Directional Lead Technology*: Similar to how a lighthouse directs light, ideal brain batteries should incorporate directional lead technology, enabling precise modulation of electrical currents directed towards the brain.

• *MRI Compatibility*: Another point to note is MR compatibility... It should allow patients to have all kinds of MR imaging

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