It will be interesting to follow this research and see where it ends up. It will be a major discovery if it turns out that DBS works because it actually causes stem cell creation and activity.

The brains of patients with Parkinson's disease who had deep brain stimulation treatment produced new stem cells, according to new research.The discovery is the first step to unlocking how the treatment works.

The study, a collaboration between scientists at the universities of Auckland and Florida, showed one reason why Parkinson's sufferers' symptoms improved with the treatment.

Dr Maurice Curtis, a senior lecturer in anatomy at the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research, said the study showed treatment increased the level of plasticity in the brain. "In this instance the brain has actually started to produce more new stem cells in response to the deep brain stimulator being implanted."

"We always knew that when people had these electrodes implanted in their brains that their symptoms would improve, but we've never really known why that should make a difference." Dr Curtis said the results were surprising because Parkinson's sufferers usually had a reduction in stem cells.

"What these electrodes seem to be doing is to actually increase the amount of stem cells that are present in the key areas of the brain that normally just have a small number of stem cells. So the hope is that those stem cells are actually doing something beneficial."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/new...ectid=11216784