Brain pacemaker could help Parkinson's patients walk again

University of California, San Francisco scientists have developed an adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) system that responds in real time to a patient's walking rhythm and automatically adjusts stimulation within fractions of a second. In laboratory testing, the system improved gait symmetry, reduced variability in walking patterns, and participants reported fewer falls while maintaining overall Parkinson's symptom control. Patients who tried both therapies chose to continue using adaptive DBS for more than a year after the trial ended.