New Online Tool Helps Parkinson's Patients Weigh Brain Implant Decision

The tool educates patients on deep brain stimulation and helps them understand if it fits their goals for managing their movement disorder.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 7:00pm

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Researchers have developed an online decision-making tool to help Parkinson's disease patients understand deep brain stimulation (DBS) implants and whether the invasive surgery is the right choice for managing their symptoms. The tool breaks down the decision-making process into four steps and provides personalized feedback on how likely DBS is to improve a patient's specific problems.

Why it matters

Brain implants can help control Parkinson's symptoms, but the decision to undergo such an invasive surgery can be overwhelming for patients. This new online tool aims to support shared decision-making between patients and doctors by ensuring patients have a clear, realistic understanding of what DBS can and cannot do.

The details

The tool was developed through interviews with over 120 Parkinson's patients to identify the key information they need to make a decision about DBS. It walks patients through learning about DBS, comparing it to other treatment options, understanding the surgery and activation process, and clarifying the symptoms and outcomes that matter most to the individual. Patients input their symptoms and receive personalized feedback on the likelihood of DBS improving their specific problems.

  • The tool is currently available at DBSDecisionTool.com.
  • Researchers are running the tool through a clinical trial to measure how much it helps people.
  • They also plan to adapt the tool to other neurological conditions beyond Parkinson's.

The players

Dr. Michelle Fullard

The lead researcher and director of clinical research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Movement Disorders Center.

University of Colorado Anschutz

The institution where the research on the DBS decision-making tool was conducted.

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What they’re saying

“We designed this to support real shared decision-making between patients and doctors, not just information-sharing. What we found is that patients at every stage of the DBS journey found it useful.”

— Dr. Michelle Fullard, Director of clinical research

“Patients often go into surgery hoping it will fix a specific symptom, and when that doesn't happen, it can feel disappointing. Our goal is to ensure people have a clear, realistic understanding of what DBS can and cannot do so they feel confident and satisfied with whatever decision they make.”

— Dr. Michelle Fullard, Director of clinical research

What’s next

Researchers are running the tool through a clinical trial to measure how much it helps people, and they also plan to adapt it to other neurological conditions beyond Parkinson's.

The takeaway

This new online tool aims to empower Parkinson's patients to make an informed decision about deep brain stimulation surgery by providing them with a clear, personalized understanding of the procedure and its potential benefits and limitations. By supporting shared decision-making between patients and doctors, the tool helps ensure patients feel confident and satisfied with their choice, whether they ultimately decide to undergo the surgery or not.