
Deep Brain
Stimulation Program
Welcome to the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Program
More than 1,000 patients have been implanted with DBS at Emory Healthcare.
DBS is best described as a pacemaker for the brain. It is a surgical therapy that involves permanently implanting thin stimulation electrodes (wires) into deep regions of the brain that control motor function. An adjustable pulse generator implanted in the chest sends electrical pulses through the electrodes, which regularizes abnormal brain activity and improves motor symptoms.
DBS consists of electrodes (wires) implanted in brain motor centers & a pulse generator (pacemaker) in the chest.
Movement Disorders Treatments Pioneers
The Deep Brain Stimulation Program was established in the early 1990s by Dr. Mahlon DeLong.
Together with neurologist Dr. Jerry Vitek and neurosurgeon Dr. Roy Bakay, Dr. DeLong and his research team made groundbreaking discoveries in the functional organization of motor circuits. This contributed to developing surgical approaches for treating movement disorders and identified a novel target for treating Parkinson's disease. Dr. Mahlon DeLong
The DBS clinical team comprises neurologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, neurosurgeons, a neurophysiologist, neuropsychologists, psychiatry nurse practitioners, and a coordinator.
Dr. Mahlon DeLong
"With something as complex as DBS, it’s nice to know what you are heading into so you can plan what to expect accordingly." —Mike O’Donnell, Emory DBS Patient