Overview
- During a four‑hour awake deep brain stimulation procedure in July, 65‑year‑old Denise Bacon played the clarinet so clinicians could assess motor changes in real time.
- Activating electrodes on each side of the brain produced immediate improvements in the opposite hand, which were evident in her finger movements while playing.
- The implanted electrodes were connected to a rechargeable pulse generator in her chest expected to last up to about 20 years, with technology that can adjust stimulation based on brain activity.
- Bacon reports improved finger dexterity and early gains in walking, and she hopes to return to swimming and regular music performance.
- The multidisciplinary team describes DBS as an evidence‑based option for controlling tremor, rigidity and slowness in Parkinson’s, while acknowledging it does not halt disease progression.