Parkinson's Patients are Mysteriously Losing the Ability to Swim After Treatment

Despite good motor skills, deep brain stimulation may be causing Parkinson's patients to sink.

By Jennifer Walter
Nov 27, 2019 9:00 PM
swimmer - shutterstock
(Credit: Ermolaev Alexander/Shutterstock)

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For Parkinson’s patients, deep brain stimulation (DBS) can help control a number of neurological symptoms, like muscle spasms and stiffness. But one weird side effect has surfaced in a string of case studies: Some patients, no matter how good their motor skills, lose their ability to swim after the procedure.

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