Background Gait disturbance accompanies many neurodegenerative diseases; it is characteristic for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Treatment of advanced PD often includes deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus. Regarding gait, previous studies have reported non-significant or conflicting results, possibly related to methodological limitations. Objective The objective of this prospective study was to assess the effects of DBS on biomechanical parameters of gait in patients with PD. Methods Twenty-one patients with advanced PD participated in this prospective study. Gait was examined in all patients using the Zebris FDM-T pressure-sensitive treadmill (Isny, Germany) before DBS implantation and after surgery immediately, further immediately after the start of neurostimulation, and 3 months after neurostimulator activation. We assessed spontaneous gait on a moving treadmill at different speeds. Step length, stance phase of both lower limbs, double-stance phase, and cadence were evaluated. Results In this study, step length increased, allowing the cadence to decrease. Double-stance phase duration, that is, the most sensitive parameter of gait quality and unsteadiness, was reduced, in gait at a speed of 4.5 km/h and in the narrow-based gaits at 1 km/h (tandem gait), which demonstrates improvement. Conclusion This study suggests positive effects of DBS treatment on gait in PD patients. Improvement was observed in several biomechanical parameters of gait.

中文翻译：

---

深部脑刺激对晚期帕金森病患者步态模式的影响

背景 步态障碍伴随着许多神经退行性疾病。它是帕金森病 (PD) 的特征。晚期 PD 的治疗通常包括丘脑底核的深部脑刺激 (DBS)。关于步态，以前的研究报告了不显着或相互矛盾的结果，可能与方法学限制有关。目的 本前瞻性研究的目的是评估 DBS 对 PD 患者步态生物力学参数的影响。方法 21 名晚期 PD 患者参加了这项前瞻性研究。在 DBS 植入前和手术后立即使用 Zebris FDM-T 压敏跑步机（Isny，德国）检查所有患者的步态，在神经刺激开始后立即进行，以及在神经刺激器激活后 3 个月。我们在移动的跑步机上以不同的速度评估了自发步态。评估步长、双下肢站立期、双站立期和节奏。结果在这项研究中，步长增加，使节奏降低。双站阶段持续时间，即步态质量和不稳定最敏感的参数，在 4.5 km/h 的步态和 1 km/h 的窄基步态（串联步态）中减少，这显示改进。结论 本研究表明 DBS 治疗对 PD 患者的步态有积极影响。在步态的几个生物力学参数中观察到改善。允许节奏降低。双站阶段持续时间，即步态质量和不稳定最敏感的参数，在 4.5 km/h 的步态和 1 km/h 的窄基步态（串联步态）中减少，这显示改进。结论 本研究表明 DBS 治疗对 PD 患者的步态有积极影响。在步态的几个生物力学参数中观察到改善。允许节奏降低。双站阶段持续时间，即步态质量和不稳定最敏感的参数，在 4.5 km/h 的步态和 1 km/h 的窄基步态（串联步态）中减少，这显示改进。结论 本研究表明 DBS 治疗对 PD 患者的步态有积极影响。在步态的几个生物力学参数中观察到改善。