Health

  • Home
  • Business
    • Internet
    • Market
    • Stock
  • Parent Category
    • Child Category 1
      • Sub Child Category 1
      • Sub Child Category 2
      • Sub Child Category 3
    • Child Category 2
    • Child Category 3
    • Child Category 4
  • Featured
  • Health
    • Childcare
    • Doctors
  • Home
  • Business
    • Internet
    • Market
    • Stock
  • Downloads
    • Dvd
    • Games
    • Software
      • Office
  • Parent Category
    • Child Category 1
      • Sub Child Category 1
      • Sub Child Category 2
      • Sub Child Category 3
    • Child Category 2
    • Child Category 3
    • Child Category 4
  • Featured
  • Health
    • Childcare
    • Doctors
  • Uncategorized

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Music conductor with Parkinson’s sees symptoms improve with deep brain stimulation

 May 10, 2025     Health, Health News Today on Fox News     No comments   

An Ohio music conductor is using deep brain stimulation to combat his Parkinson’s disease.

Rand Laycock, 70, the director and conductor of a symphony orchestra, was diagnosed just before his 60th birthday, according to a press release from Cleveland Clinic.

"My doctor at the time told me [a Parkinson’s diagnosis] wasn’t a death sentence, and there would be advancements over the next few years to help with my treatment," said Laycock.

STEM-CELL THERAPY FOR PARKINSON'S SHOWS 'STRONG PROMISE' IN RELIEVING SYMPTOMS

Even after a regimen of medications, however, Laycock's symptoms continued to progress over the next 11 years.

When tremors in his right hand began increasing in severity and frequency, he began exploring other treatments.

"The tremor would really start to be pronounced if I had a deadline coming up for something with the orchestra," Laycock told Cleveland Clinic.

DOCTOR SHARES WAYS TO PREVENT GETTING PARKINSON'S DISEASE

He also started experiencing dyskinesias, which are involuntary movements that can be a side effect of long-term use of certain Parkinson's medications.

Michal Gostkowski, DO, a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic, introduced Laycock to the alternative option of deep brain stimulation (DBS), which was described as a "pacemaker for the brain."

DBS is a "treatment that involves an implanted device that delivers an electrical current directly to areas of your brain," according to Cleveland Clinic.

There are billions of neurons in the brain, which communicate using electrical and chemical signals. Some brain conditions, including Parkinson's, can make those neurons less active, the same source stated.

PARALYZED MAN WITH ALS IS THIRD TO RECEIVE NEURALINK IMPLANT, CAN TYPE WITH BRAIN

Deep brain stimulation applies an electrical current to make those neurons more active.

In May 2024, Laycock received a brain implant as the first step of the DBS therapy. He then activated and set up his device with programmer Erica Hennigs, the release detailed.

"When it comes to programming the device, we try different settings at first," said Hennigs. "We then adjust those during follow-up visits as we learn more about how his symptoms are being controlled."

After seeing success for nearly a year, Laycock progressed to a more advanced form of DBS called adaptive deep brain stimulation, or aDBS.

"Traditional DBS gives the same stimulation to the brain 24 hours a day. What makes aDBS different is that it can adapt and fine-tune the stimulation in real time," said Dr. Michael Gostkowski, a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic, in the release.

"By tracking a certain frequency in the brain, it can increase or decrease the stimulation as needed to better control symptoms."

Laycock was a good candidate for the advanced therapy because his symptoms fluctuated throughout the day, which means a treatment that could adapt to those fluctuations could be more effective, according to the clinic.

"Since Rand’s a music conductor, fine-tuning with aDBS would reduce the risk of him experiencing tremors if his medication were to wear off in the middle of a concert or performance," said Hennigs.

Because of his previous positive experience with DBS, Laycock jumped at the chance to receive the new version.

"It sounded like it would make my life simpler – not having to worry about adjusting my device settings and medications as frequently," he told Cleveland Clinic.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

The conductor’s implanted device was able to support new adaptive technology, so it was just a matter of working with Hennigs to update the settings. 

Laycock began receiving aDBS in March 2025. Now, his tremors are almost completely gone except for times of extreme stress or anxiety, according to the release.

"And my dyskinesia is pretty well under control," he said. "My symptoms are minimal compared to the way they were, and a lot of that is due to adaptive deep brain stimulation."

Laycock is now approaching his 47th year as a music conductor, the release stated, and he looks forward to spending time with his wife, two children and granddaughter. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Gostkowski encourages Parkinson's patients to ask their doctors about DBS or aDBS as an option to control symptoms and improve quality of life.

Laycock added, "I know the thought of brain surgery can be intimidating, but it’s a life-changing procedure that allows you to become your own self again."



from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/2IlFRpO
  • Share This:  
  •  Facebook
  •  Twitter
  •  Google+
  •  Stumble
  •  Digg
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to Facebook

Related Posts:

  • Stuffy nose? Common OTC nasal decongestants with phenylephrine don’t work in tablet form, experts sayAs frustrating as colds and allergies may be to those who suffer from them, even more sobering is the notion that popular remedies we think are treati… Read More
  • ‘Fourth wave’ of fentanyl overdose deaths has gripped the nation, experts say: ‘The norm, not the exception’Experts say the U.S. is currently in a "fourth wave" of opioid overdose deaths, this one marked by a sharp increase in fentanyl — a synthetic opioid —… Read More
  • 10 tips to live to be 100: ‘Far more than wishful thinking,' say longevity expertsMore and more people are making it to the 100-year milestone. Nearly 90,000 people were at least 100 years and older in the U.S. as of 2021, almost do… Read More
  • Pig kidney functions inside donated body for record 2 monthsDozens of doctors and nurses silently lined the hospital hallway in tribute: For a history-making two months, a pig’s kidney worked normally inside th… Read More
  • Cancer prevention diet, tips to live to 100 years old — and pregnant woman with cancer refuses abortion‘AGAINST GOD’S WILL' – Tasha Kann shares her story of how she refused to abort her baby after a brain cancer diagnosis. Continue reading… AVOIDIN… Read More
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

  • Ozempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
    A new trend gaining popularity among people trying to lose weight is microdosing the diabetes medication Ozempic. With approximately 70% of...
  • Helping Stroke Patients Regain Movement in their Hands
    By BY PAM BELLUCK from NYT Health https://ift.tt/6uNPHMD
  • As eating disorders increase among college students, here's how parents can help: ‘Early intervention is key’
    While most of us have heard about the "Freshman 15" — the stereotypical first-year weight gain among college students — a growing ...

Recent Posts

Categories

  • Health News Today on Fox News
  • FOX NEWS
  • Fox News : Health
  • Health
  • Health News Today on Fox News
  • Healthy tips
  • NYT

Unordered List

Pages

  • Home

Text Widget

Blog Archive

  • June 2025 (18)
  • May 2025 (88)
  • April 2025 (84)
  • March 2025 (88)
  • February 2025 (70)
  • January 2025 (72)
  • December 2024 (81)
  • November 2024 (70)
  • October 2024 (82)
  • September 2024 (75)
  • August 2024 (82)
  • July 2024 (79)
  • June 2024 (74)
  • May 2024 (73)
  • April 2024 (78)
  • March 2024 (75)
  • February 2024 (78)
  • January 2024 (78)
  • December 2023 (60)
  • November 2023 (80)
  • October 2023 (74)
  • September 2023 (75)
  • August 2023 (85)
  • July 2023 (67)
  • June 2023 (58)
  • May 2023 (100)
  • April 2023 (105)
  • March 2023 (118)
  • February 2023 (84)
  • January 2023 (87)
  • December 2022 (69)
  • November 2022 (64)
  • October 2022 (78)
  • September 2022 (74)
  • August 2022 (110)
  • July 2022 (109)
  • June 2022 (127)
  • May 2022 (95)
  • April 2022 (109)
  • March 2022 (140)
  • February 2022 (138)
  • January 2022 (170)
  • December 2021 (182)
  • November 2021 (213)
  • October 2021 (506)
  • September 2021 (539)
  • August 2021 (564)
  • July 2021 (590)
  • June 2021 (556)
  • May 2021 (544)
  • April 2021 (310)
  • March 2021 (331)
  • February 2021 (301)
  • January 2021 (326)
  • December 2020 (521)
  • November 2020 (403)
  • October 2020 (537)
  • September 2020 (554)
  • August 2020 (431)
  • July 2020 (647)
  • June 2020 (610)
  • May 2020 (659)
  • April 2020 (681)
  • March 2020 (729)
  • February 2020 (564)
  • January 2020 (483)
  • December 2019 (396)
  • November 2019 (416)
  • October 2019 (526)
  • September 2019 (486)
  • August 2019 (441)
  • July 2019 (394)
  • June 2019 (381)
  • May 2019 (510)
  • April 2019 (471)
  • March 2019 (560)
  • February 2019 (403)
  • January 2019 (530)
  • December 2018 (382)
  • November 2018 (378)
  • October 2018 (510)
  • September 2018 (297)
Powered by Blogger.

Report Abuse

Formulir Kontak



Search This Blog

Find Us On Facebook

Labels

  • Health News Today on Fox News
  • FOX NEWS
  • Fox News : Health
  • Health
  • Health News Today on Fox News
  • Healthy tips
  • NYT

Flickr Images

Most Popular

  • Ozempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
    A new trend gaining popularity among people trying to lose weight is microdosing the diabetes medication Ozempic. With approximately 70% of...
  • Helping Stroke Patients Regain Movement in their Hands
    By BY PAM BELLUCK from NYT Health https://ift.tt/6uNPHMD
  • As eating disorders increase among college students, here's how parents can help: ‘Early intervention is key’
    While most of us have heard about the "Freshman 15" — the stereotypical first-year weight gain among college students — a growing ...
  • Pioneer of America's global HIV/AIDS program recalls hope after years of despair
    Through his office window at what was then one of Africa's few modern clinics dealing with HIV and AIDS , the man who now oversees the U...
  • Free COVID tests will again be available from US government starting next week
    The U.S. government is reactivating the program that mails free COVID-19 tests to Americans' homes upon request. Effective Sept. 25, h...
  • New COVID vaccine push is ‘anti-human,’ says Florida surgeon general: ‘Major safety concern’
    The new COVID-19 vaccine is now available at participating pharmacies and health care providers, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) ...
  • AI tech aims to help patients catch disease early even reverse their biological age
    In humanity's quest to live longer, healthier lives, technology — particularly artificial intelligence — is playing an ever-bigger role...
  • US scores D+ for preterm birth rates, says new report: ‘Falling further behind’
    The rate of preterm births remains alarmingly high in the U.S., according to the latest March of Dimes Report Card. The figure was around ...
  • FOX NEWS: Vermont fertility doctor accused of using his own sperm to inseminate woman 41 years ago: lawsuit
    Vermont fertility doctor accused of using his own sperm to inseminate woman 41 years ago: lawsuit A child conceived in 1977 through art...
  • Carbon monoxide deaths are climbing, putting families in peril: ‘My son is lucky to be alive’
    Often dubbed "the silent killer," carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless — it’s been shown to cause severe injury or death in h...

Sample Text

Copyright © 2025 Health | Powered by Blogger
Design by Hardeep Asrani | Blogger Theme by NewBloggerThemes.com | Distributed By Gooyaabi Templates