Deep brain stimulation

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Mayo Clinic's approach

  • Teamwork. At Mayo Clinic, an integrated team approach is used to treat people who have deep brain stimulation. The team includes Mayo Clinic doctors with training in brain conditions (neurologists), brain surgeons (neurosurgeons), doctors with training in mental health conditions (psychiatrists), specialized programming nurses and other specialists.
  • Research. The Mayo Clinic deep brain stimulation teams have been studying the use of deep brain stimulation for many years. They're currently studying new types of stimulating systems, as well as ways to maximize the effectiveness of the therapy and reduce side effects. Clinical trials may be available to Mayo Clinic patients.
  • Advanced surgical technology. Specialists at Mayo Clinic use computer-assisted brain surgery, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) and awake brain surgery during deep brain stimulation. Mayo Clinic surgeons have extensive experience with deep brain stimulation.

The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients.

  1. Hands16x9-1024x576.jpg

    My DBS experience

    By Jan Kary I was 60 at the time. Trying to take a photo. My hand was shaking so much I couldn’t hold my phone still to capture a picture. “I’m just nervous,” I thought to myself. The same experience happened again and again. “It’s just stress; I just need a good night’s sleep, and everything will be fine,” I concluded. Over the years, my hands began shaking so much in handling utensils, a glass…
  2. Walthall-Eric-ski-now2_cropped16x9-1024x575.jpg

    From 100-plus seizures a month to seizure-free

    Successful epilepsy treatment allowed Eric Walthall, left, to resume skiing, a pastime he and friend Craig Wanous had enjoyed previously. Advances in epilepsy diagnostics, treatment return man to quality of life For years, Eric Walthall of Woodville, Wisconsin, experienced more than 100 debilitating epileptic seizures a month. For more than 20 years, he couldn’t drive. He stopped attending many of his sons' activities because he feared a seizure would cause him to lose consciousness. He…

Expertise and rankings

Nationally recognized expertise

Mayo Clinic experts treat more than 1,700 people each year with deep brain stimulation. Mayo Clinic specialists have used deep brain stimulation to treat people who have essential tremor, Parkinson's disease and dystonia. They also have used deep brain stimulation to treat people who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), cluster headaches, Tourette syndrome, epilepsy and chronic pain that hasn't responded to other treatments.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings.

Learn more about Mayo Clinic's neurology and neurosurgery departments' expertise and rankings.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

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Mayo Clinic's campus in Arizona

Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida

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Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

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Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions.

By Mayo Clinic Staff
Request an appointment
Doctors & Departments
Sept. 19, 2023
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  1. Deep brain stimulation. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Deep-Brain-Stimulation. Accessed June 2, 2023.
  2. Doherty GM, ed. Neurosurgery. In: Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery. 15th ed. McGraw Hill; 2020. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed June 1, 2023.
  3. Jankovic J, et al., eds. Intracranial neuromodulation. In: Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed June 1, 2023.
  4. Quinones-Hinojosa A, et al., eds. Implantation of deep brain stimulation electrodes under general anesthesia for Parkinson disease and essential tremor. In: Schmidek & Sweet: Operative Neurosurgical Techniques. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed June 2, 2023.
  5. Winn HR, ed. Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed June 2, 2023.
  6. Deep brain stimulation (DBS). Parkinson's Foundation. https://www.parkinson.org/living-with-parkinsons/treatment/surgical-treatment-options/deep-brain-stimulation. Accessed June 2, 2023.
  7. Ami TR. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. June 1, 2023.
  8. Schulder M, et al. Advances in technical aspects of deep brain stimulation surgery. Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. 2023; doi:10.1159/000529040.
  9. Jandial R. Deep brain stimulation. In: Core Techniques in Operative Neurosurgery. 2nd ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed June 7, 2023.
  10. Deep brain stimulation for movement disorders. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/deep-brain-stimulation-movement-disorders?search-term=deep%20brain%20stimulation#. Accessed June 7, 2023.
  11. Remoli G, et al. An updated overview of recent and ongoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) trials in patients with dementia: A systematic review. Neurological Science. 2023; doi:10.1007/s10072-023-06821-w.
  12. Remore LG, et al. Deep brain stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle for treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review focused on the long-term antidepressive effect. Neuromodulation. 2023; doi:10.1016/j.neurom.2023.03.011.
  13. Dassen AR, et al. Could deep brain stimulation be a possible solution for acquired hypothalamic obesity? Heliyon. 2023; doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14411.
  14. Contreras Lopez WO, et al. Effectiveness of deep brain stimulation in reducing body mass index and weight: A systematic review. Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. 2022; doi:10.1159/000519158.
  15. Chang R, et al. Deep brain stimulation in drug addiction treatment: Research progress and perspective. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2022; doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.858638.
  16. Jackson LM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Aug. 26, 2023.
  17. Wang X, et al. Deep brain stimulation for Meige syndrome: A meta-analysis with individual patient data. Journal of Neurology. 2019; doi:10.1007/s00415-019-09462-2.
  18. Casagrande SCB, et al. Deep brain stimulation in Tourette's syndrome: Evidence to date. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2019; doi:10.2147/NDT.S139368.
  19. Brief statement: Medtronic DBS Therapy for Parkinson's disease, tremor, dystonia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and epilepsy. Medtronic. https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/healthcare-professionals/therapies-procedures/neurological/deep-brain-stimulation/indications-safety-warnings.html. Accessed Aug. 28, 2023.
  20. Infinity deep brain stimulation system. Abbott. https://www.neuromodulation.abbott/us/en/parkinsons/infinity-for-deep-brain-stimulation.html. Accessed Aug. 28, 2023.

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Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, have been ranked among the best Neurology & Neurosurgery hospitals in the nation for 2023-2024 by U.S. News & World Report.

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Deep brain stimulation