Jamie has been living with Tourette syndrome, so bad that she was not able to perform many of her daily activities. She would often avoid going to places outside of her house, because she could not control her tics. It got to the point where she thought about taking leave from work.
There’s good news! A breakthrough procedure has helped her control the tics.
About ten months ago, Jamie had Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which essentially works like a pacemaker, according to Jamie’s doctor.
Her doctor put electrodes in Jamie’s brain and waited until the tics subsided. A wire was placed at the top of her brain in the nuclear structure, creating an electrical field which her doctor could control. What’s affected during DBS is the way the neurons in the nearby areas respond, fire, and finally send signals to various parts of her brain.
Only adults who have not had successful treatment in the past are eligible to receive the operation.
Jamie’s tics have significantly decreased. Jamie feels that she can now enjoy life.
Click here to read more about Jamie.
