Quality of life (QoL) improves under subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) in Parkinson’s disease (PD), whereas social functioning may be disrupted. This disruption could negatively influence the family dynamic, leading to different perceptions of the STN-DBS outcome by patients and caregivers.
A recent study, published in the March 17th edition of Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, demonstrated unequal perception of QoL between patients and caregivers under STN-DBS. The fact that social functioning did not improve longitudinally iin the study was suggested to be due to patient’s higher levels of apathy and reduced motivation following surgery. These findings stress the importance of considering caregiver’s input in DBS patients’ outcomes and the need for pre-operative preparation.
Source: European Parkinson’s Disease Association