The 60 Minutes Archive presents “Unlocking Parkinson’s,” a powerful and inspiring story of hope for those suffering from Parkinson’s disease. The video brings to light the devastating effects of the disease on the body and the mind while also showcasing a revolutionary treatment that offers new possibilities. Viewers are introduced to Dell Maxon, a man living with advanced Parkinson’s disease, whose life has been profoundly impacted by the loss of control over his body.
However, the video delves into the breakthrough treatment known as deep brain stimulation, which involves the implantation of electrodes in the brain to restore control and function. The procedure, performed at specialized medical centers, has provided remarkable results for patients like Dell Maxon. Viewers witness the transformation in Dell’s ability to move and function, allowing him to regain a sense of normalcy in his life.
The video captures the emotional journey of those living with Parkinson’s disease and the profound impact of this innovative treatment. With over 3,000 individuals benefiting from deep brain stimulation, the video highlights the potential for this treatment to redefine the lives of millions of Americans living with Parkinson’s disease. “Unlocking Parkinson’s” offers a message of hope and resilience, showcasing the extraordinary potential of medical advancements in the treatment of neurological conditions.
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60 Minutes rewind every year 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease it’s not an immediate death sentence in some ways it’s worse the Mind stays sharp but control of the body is steadily lost medication may help at first but over time its Effectiveness disappears and side effects are often as ruinous as the
Disease this story is not about a cure but a treatment that could storees something like normal life to many of the million and a half Americans with Parkinson’s at the moment it’s been reserved for patients with Advanced Parkinson’s disease people like Dell Maxon who when we first met him seemed Beyond hope it’s
Like having a m a sharp mind that’s it’s in a body that doesn’t work Del Maxon is 55 years old he lives in Forestville New York near Buffalo he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 14 years ago and the disease has gotten progressively worse the muscles freeze immobilizing him drugs relieve that condition for
Short periods but produce uncontrollable wild movement It’s a cruel choice between the effects of the disease and the effects of the medicine my days revolve around my ability to move I can’t plan ahead for anything so I just wait until I’m able to move to do
Something up until 3 years ago he was able to cope with the disease but the Parkinson swiftly took over his body and the medication ceased to work can hardly do anything for more and more of every day he was barely able to function that’s about about the extent of it for a while
The wild movements called discinesia made him housebound totally dependent on his wife Barbara we don’t go out to eat um he used to like to go bowling he can’t do that um just very limited there’s there’s nothing really we can do he could not bear to suffer the stairs
Of strangers they look at you like you’re mentally handicapped feeling sorry for you and that’s other thing I really don’t want anybody feeling sorry for me I want to be treated the same as other people touch your nose last October Dell Maxon heard words he could scarcely
Believe we’re going to fix it Dr Ali Rai a neurosurgeon is part of a team at the Cleveland Clinic one of about 50 centers that are now offering a revolutionary treatment called deep brain stimulation electrodes are implanted in both sides of the brain and wired through the body to two small generators
Like heart pacemakers the electric charge is the key that will release Dell from the prison of Parkinson’s the procedure begins Before Dawn Dell has a metal frame fixed to his scull to keep his head from moving he’s off all medication so his body will remain still Dr Rai has mapped a route
To the Target using a computer and MRIs and CAT scans see the ears top of the ears and going through various sections of the brain until we find the right area the target is about the size of a small Olive reaching it requires careful plotting avoiding blood vessels and
Fluid cavities it’s like traveling through a labyrinth as in the Greek myth and around every corner you have that bloodthirsty monster that can jump on you so you want to be careful to avoid these areas see this is perfect actually perfect he drills two dime-sized holes in Dell’s skull pressure then among the
Many voices in the O Okay one Becomes of prime importance are you okay I’m fine D must be awake so he can communicate assuring the doctors that the probe is not affecting vital areas of speech and vision look up show me your teeth stick a tongue out very good okay just a
Millimeter off could cause problems Dell feels nothing the brain does not feel pain going even deeper they locate the target using a tiny microphone on the tip of the probe that transmits the sounds of brain activity we’re kind of EAS dropping on the conversation the neurons are having so neurons static
That we hear well static to some ears music to mine Dr Irwin Montgomery the neurologist on the team understands the language of the brain you can close your eyes and listen and you know exactly where the electrode is okay so 10 microamps now a test charge of electricity produces immediate results
We’re doing a little bit of stimulation here and when we stimulate that muscle just relaxes quite nicely oh yeah it’s nearing 6 hours since the operation began hey D hang in there we’re going to need you to really be awake for this part okay okay cuz we
You have to communicate this is it we already mapped the area we found where we need to go now we’re going to implant the actual permanent electrodes okay okay as each electrode is implanted SE they turn on the electricity so let’s go to one VT can you open and close your hand like
This definitely better better so I would say we’re rounding third and heading for home my friend okay that’s a lot better everything looks very very good and everything we saw here today has made me very confident what Dr R now is going to do is Anchor this electrode in place and
Then he’s going to uh close up the incisions and you’ll be done for today okay hello pretty good pretty good A month later he’s back in Cleveland for a checkup it’s clear the operation has been a huge success how’s he doing really good okay okay the discinesia is
Gone his medications have been reduced by 2/3 your face is improved all the muscles are released and uh your speech is much improved and what activities do you want to do that you could not do before as far as hobbies and so on you want to go back playing
Music uh music shooting pool shooting pool okay that is wild passionate sex okay he’s here to have the power system adjusted the Pacemakers are first turned off so that the differences in his ability to control his body can be measured when it’s off do you feel an immediate change basically I stopped
Moving it’s like turning on on and off a light switch really yeah and it’s it’s that immediate as well yeah turning me off I Fade Out maybe 15 minutes but turning me on you should see that okay I turned that on did what did you I feel like this Buzz going through my
Whole body the differences between on and off are dramatic go away this is Dell turned off and as wide as you can go now on even more dramatic Dell walking with the stimulation off and walking turned on are the results that Mr Maxon got pretty much what what you normally get
Or is he a particularly good or average result no I think he’s uh pretty average I think he’s pretty representative of the types of benefits so far more than 3,000 people have benefited Mark Sharp’s benefits were remarkable in this home video he demonstrates just how remarkable with the stimulation off his
Condition seems hopeless he reaches down for the magnet that will switch the electricity on and he’s transformed he could be the poster boy for the procedure only months after the surgery he took part in and completed a triathlon how does it work essentially there’s faulty wiring in the brain
That’s manifesting in Parkinson’s so you’re basically rewiring the brain to U maintain the proper functioning of the brain in in the truth of the matter though is we really don’t know how it works we really don’t have the foggiest notion we have some theories but uh increasingly we’re finding evidence that
Those theories are not true so exactly how it works we don’t know how does it compare with other surgical procedures or or or straight medication is it really the Breakthrough that it sounds like oh absolutely I mean surgery has been done for Parkinson since see since the 1950s and that would
Require going in actually destroying part of the brain but now with deep brain stimulation you don’t actually have to destroy that brain you just put the electrod in leave it there and stimulate so the safety is is much much better and if over time your symptoms progress you deteriorate further you can
Adjust your pacemaker whereas with the old surgery the destructive surgery was a One-Shot deal in the old surgery electric stimulation was used to locate the target a French surgeon noting that the electrical probes stop the Tremors proposed the system of continuous stimulation as a permanent treatment are
There some patients for whom this just doesn’t work sure I mean there are patients who do less well on the average uh these Parkinson’s patients are improved by 50 to 60% in this field is that good or extraordinary to get 60% I think so I mean these are patients who
Are basically very severe Parkinson and they have essentially failed medications they have no other hope so you take a patient who is Advanced has had Parkinson many years is disabled can’t do have activities and you give him a new lease on life the story will continue after
This for the first time in years Dell Maxon is back playing his favorite game anyway you could have done this say a month ago or I couldn’t even pick up the stick a month ago just take me through some of the how how your life has
Changed how my life has changed today I got up I shaved with a razor and I put my own shirt these are major things though for you correct the these are absolutely major things just everyday things that other people take for granted all of which seem like but a breakthroughs for
You yes here we go you handsome dog you on a recent Sunday morning D got himself ready for an even bigger breakthrough he’d stopped attending his church almost 3 years ago too embarrassed to be seen but on this dat he was in control of his own body
And finally ready to be welcomed back to the congregation you went back to church for the first time yes was that a big moment in your life major just to be out in public and just to do something as simple as that just to go out and be amongst people not feel like
A like I have a leprosy or something what’ your friends make of being in church after all these years they were thrilled they were thrilled I am so glad to see you it’s been such a long time like a new man it strikes me
That you are a new person do do you feel like a absolutely I’ve got a new life my perspective before the operation was Parkinson’s is incurable and Progressive which means it always gets worse it never never ever gets better so it was kind of a dark future
That I had now I’ve got a future
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Video “Unlocking Parkinson's | 60 Minutes Archive” was uploaded on 01/12/2024 to Youtube Channel 60 Minutes