Medtronic device may have extra benefit

Last update: November 12, 2008 - 10:22 PM

NEW YORK - A Medtronic Inc. deep-brain stimulation device used to treat some patients for Parkinson's disease also helped a few people who were suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, French scientists reported.

Their study involved just 16 patients, but in four of them, symptoms nearly disappeared. But many patients had serious side effects, including one case of bleeding in the brain.

The treatment involved an experimental brain pacemaker from Fridley-based Medtronic, and it reduced repetitive thoughts and behaviors in some of the patients -- just as it blocks tremors for some Parkinson's sufferers.

The researchers came up with the approach after noticing that two Parkinson's patients who got the treatment also saw an improvement to their obsessive-compulsive disorders. Other small studies have targeted a different part of the brain for that disorder and depression.

In the French study, symptoms were reduced more than 25 percent, the researchers said.

The findings are reported in today's New England Journal of Medicine.

The pacemakers used in the study were bought from Medtronic, which had no role in the study but paid for the researchers' meetings. Some of the scientists have received consulting fees and grants from Medtronic.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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