Anatomic Basis of Surgical Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

THE treatment of Parkinson's disease has been for many years the preserve of the physician. Now, however, surgical treatment, especially when used before the disease is clinically far advanced, is playing a greater part in bringing about sufficient remission of disabling symptoms, often for periods of years, to prolong the active and self-sufficient life of the patient.The fundamental pathologic process, of unknown etiology, produces nerve-cell degeneration, principally in the globus pallidus and substantia nigra. Present treatments of the disease, whether medical or surgical, do not prevent this degeneration from progressing. They may so alter the state of balance of . . .