The effect of deep brain stimulation on non-motor symptoms in essential tremor
Journal of Neurosurgery, 2025
This study examined the effects of ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) deep brain stimulation (DBS) on nonmotor symptoms in patients with essential tremor (ET). Following DBS, we found a small but statistically significant improvement in depression scores, while anxiety remained unchanged. Cognitive testing showed slight declines in language and memory, but attention, executive function, and visuospatial function were unaffected. In sum, preoperative mood and cognitive scores were linked to post-DBS changes, highlighting the importance of individualized patient counseling when considering DBS for ET.
Recommended citation: Bishay AE, Lyons AT, Habib DRS, Hughes NC, Long I, Zargari M, Qian H, Paulo D, Summers JE, Li R, Bishay S, Terry DP, Dawant BM, Ball TJ, Konrad PE, Englot DJ, Dhima K, Bick SK. The effect of deep brain stimulation on non-motor symptoms in essential tremor. J Neurosurg. 2025. doi:10.3171/2024.11.JNS241990