David Charles

photo of David Charles and Mallory Hacker

Deep brain sweet spot might be key to halt Parkinson’s

A sweet spot in the deep brain with direct lines of communication to motor regions far out on the cerebral cortex might hold a key to halting the progression of early-stage Parkinson’s disease.

photo of David Charles and Mallory Hacker

Pilot study suggests Parkinson’s disease progression can be slowed

A pair of ultra-thin electrodes surgically implanted deep into the brain might slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, according to five-year outcomes from a 30-patient randomized clinical trial conducted by investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Spasticity underdiagnosed

Spasticity — a consequence of stroke and other disorders of the central nervous system — may be underdiagnosed and undertreated in nursing home residents.

photo of David Charles and Mallory Hacker

Parkinson’s study to track impact of DBS on earliest patients

A decade after taking part in the first clinical trial of deep brain stimulation (DBS) administered during very early-stage Parkinson’s disease, participants will return to Vanderbilt University Medical Center this year to be re-evaluated.

VUMC’s membership in NIH NeuroNEXT network renewed

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has renewed Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s membership in NeuroNEXT, a research network that helps streamline Phase 2 clinical trials for brain disorders.

photo of David Charles and Mallory Hacker

DBS treatment may slow tremor progression in early-stage Parkinson’s patients

June 29, 2018 – Analysis of data from a clinical trial conducted at Vanderbilt suggests that deep brain stimulation (DBS) administered to patients with very early-stage Parkinson’s disease slowed the progression of rest tremor. The study, published June 29 in Neurology, is significant because it is the first evidence of a treatment that may possibly delay the progression of one of the cardinal features of Parkinson’s disease.

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