Neurosurgery for Movement Disorders

&NA; Movement disorders have been treated neuro‐ surgically since the 1930s. Current diagnoses for neuro‐ surgical interventions are Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, multiple sclerosis, and some dystonic disorders such as idio‐ pathic torsions dystonia. By using stereotactic image‐guided techniques, targets can be chosen to treat different symptoms: the ventrointermediate nucleus of thalamus for tremor; the internal globus pallidus for dyskinesia, dystonia, rigidity, aki nesia, and tremor; and the subthalamic nucleus for all cardinal symptoms in advanced Parkinson's disease, including drug‐ induced hyperkinesia (secondary to reduced drugs). The surgi cal approaches can be divided into three main groups: destructive (e.g., lesional surgery), reversible and adjustable (e.g., permanent electro‐inhibition/stimulation), and recon‐ structive (e.g., fetal nerve cell transplantation). Reconstructive procedures, which are not discussed here, are still in the early developmental phase. All the methods have advantages and dis advantages; therefore, it is important that the right target and technique be chosen for each patient.