Stereotactic surgery and Parkinson's disease.

With a short description of the historical background, thalamotomy and posteroventral pallidotomy (PVP) are introduced as effective means to alleviate motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Rigidity and dopa-induced dyskinesia are improved and abolished by either of the two procedures, but tremor is more markedly improved by thalamotomy than by PVP. To date, surgical treatment has been important in treating PD. Also, the influence of PVP on psychological symptoms in PD, bradyphrenia and emotional changes offers an important key to understand and to interpret these symptoms.