Listen: Dr. Craig van Horne discusses promising Parkinson’s treatment
Parkinson’s disease is a long-term, progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. There’s no cure for Parkinson’s, but UK neurosurgeon Dr. Craig van Horne‘s experimental treatment is showing promise in helping patients manage the symptoms of this disease.
Van Horne is the director of the Deep Brain Stimulator Center at the Kentucky Neuroscience Institute. He focuses his research on cellular and surgical therapies for Parkinson’s disease.
Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is a surgical procedure that uses electrodes to stimulate areas of the brain, effectively overriding the damaged nerve’s electrical impulses and reducing many of the symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease. Dr. van Horne is testing an experimental procedure called DBS Plus, which uses a patient’s own peripheral nerve tissue to prompt nerve regeneration and slow the disease process.
Early data shows that DBS Plus has improved symptoms for some patients, and van Horne hopes it will become the new “standard of care” for treating Parkinson’s symptoms.
On this episode of the University of Kentucky’s podcast Behind the Blue, we sat down with Dr. van Horne to discuss DBS Plus, what this treatment may mean for Parkinson’s patients and how this research can impact other areas across the spectrum of healthcare.
Artwork for February 17, 2017 - Dr. Craig van Horne (Parkinson's research and treatment) BEHIND THE BLUE February 17, 2017 - Dr. Craig van Horne (Parkinson's research and treatment) 30 00:00:00 30 Subscribe to This Show Download This Episode Embed This Player Share This Episode
