Impact of deep brain stimulation on people with Parkinson's disease: A mixed methods feasibility study exploring lifespace and community outcomes.
Jacki Liddle, Amreetaa Sundraraj, David Ireland and 3 others
PMID 32009861WHAT IT FOUND
Deep brain stimulation helped most people with Parkinson's reduce symptoms, but life satisfaction and community movement varied widely.
Some felt better while others stopped valued activities. GPS tracking showed movement increased even when patients felt they stayed home.
Key findings
01All eight participants described impact on their occupations, and most reported renewed opportunities for meaningful activity after surgery, though some stopped valued leisure pursuits.
02Objective GPS tracking of community movement often contradicted patients' subjective reports; one participant felt he stayed home more, but his data showed increased travel area and decreased time at home.
03Symptom improvement did not guarantee better wellbeing; some participants reported reduced life satisfaction or quality of life scores despite medication reduction and physical improvements.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Very small sample size (n=8) from a single private clinic limits generalizability. High dropout rate for objective data; only two participants provided complete GPS data across all three timepoints. Mixed methods design prevented statistical significance testing; findings are descriptive and exploratory. Participants were predominantly male (6 of 8) and living with others (7 of 8), which may not represent the broader PD population.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources are explicitly declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that successful DBS surgery leads to improved quality of life or community participation. The study showed that symptoms can improve while life satisfaction decreases, and patients' subjective reports of their own activity levels often contradict objective GPS data.