For Parkinson’s patients, a cutting-edge treatment – Asbury Park Press

Delgados Boxing in Atlanta is home to numerous champions in the professional boxing world. Now, theyre helping seniors with Parkinsons take back their lives by being their own champions in and out of the ring. USA TODAY NETWORK

Patient Paul Detlefsen speaks with Dr. Asif Bashir and physicians assistant Jacqueline Cristini at JFK Neuroscience Institute in Edison.(Photo: Mike Zebrick)

The tremors started when Paul Detlefsen was in his 30s. At 36, he got the diagnosis: Parkinsons disease.

It was tough news for the Woodbridge resident, who works with his hands as a machine mechanic.

I had real bad tremors in my right arm, he said. I didnt want to leave the house. I kind of got depressed.

Three years ago he opted to treat the symptom with deep brain stimulation (DBS), which uses surgically implanted electrodes to stimulate areas of the brain that control movement. DBS therapy, which has been around for two decades, had the desired effect.

Now you couldnt even tell I have Parkinsons, the 43-year-old said.

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Patient Paul Detlefsen speaks with physicians assistant Jacqueline Cristini at JFK Neuroscience Institute in Edison.(Photo: Mike Zebrick)

The only real drawback was the remote control unit that came with the DBS system. If the units settings had to be changed because tremors returned, it required an appointment with a specialist. There were other inconveniences as well.

It was bulky and you had to check the battery, Detlefsen said. To look at it, you had to take it off and youd lose contact.

Thats all changed with the rollout of technology that allows the patient to manage their DBS with the touch of an iPod. JFK Neuroscience Institute in Edison is at the forefront of using the iPod. In fact, Detlefsen is the first patient in the United States and among the first in the world to marry the traditional DBS system with thisiPod touch remote.

Its worked out very well," said physicians assistant Jacqueline Cristini, director of the DBS program at JFK. Its the first (new Parkinsons technology) to come along in 20 years. It allows more flexibility in programming for getting rid of a patients symptoms effectively and it diminishes any side effects that the electrodes in the brain can cause.

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According to the Parkinsons disease foundation, as many as one million Americans and 10 million people worldwide are living with the condition. Incidences increase with age, but an estimated four percent are diagnosed before the age of 50.

Weve had a lot of patients in their 30s, 40s, 50s. They have jobs, they have children, they have families, Cristini said. They might have this debilitating symptom of tremors, which is very well controlled with deep brain stimulation but very difficult to control with medication.

Its not that more young people are coming down with Parkinsons. Its just getting diagnosed sooner as awareness rises.

Theres always been a younger generation (with Parkinsons), but we never really identified them until I would say the last generation, Cristini said. When youre talking about someone in their 30s like Paul, who has a job and his whole life is ahead of him, if youre starting him off on medications its a long road. The quality of life is what its all about.

The medications have side effects that can include twitching, drowsiness and even hallucinations. Hence the attraction of DBS.

We can control the motor symptoms of Parkinsons the tremors, spasticity, all of these things, to a very good control, said Dr. Asif Bashir, a neurosurgeon at JFK. This is a lifelong thing. Weve had patients who had these implanted over 20 years ago and theyre doing fine. Paul is a younger patient; hes got a very good prognosis as long as his tremor is controlled.

Now the remote system that helps control those tremors has joined the touchpad age. Detlefsen couldnt be happier.

Its easier to check, turn on or change the program much easier, he said. I wanted to get the word about this out, let people know its out there.

Staff writer Jerry Carino: jcarino@gannettnj.com.

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For Parkinson's patients, a cutting-edge treatment - Asbury Park Press