After undergoing an innovative treatment for Parkinson’s disease Jessica Krauser says, “I feel like I can just be a mom again.” Diagnosed at 37, deep brain stimulation or DBS is helping her with symptom management. “I knew it was time for something else when I was at dinner with my family on vacation. I couldn't just sit in the chair and calmly eat my food. My body was all over the place,” says Jessica of Columbus, Ohio. What started as a hand tremor in 2017 eventually led to other symptoms and a diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s in 2019. Jessica started medications, and while they would provide relief for a few months, her symptoms kept returning. That’s when she came to us to explore DBS treatment. Described as a pacemaker for the brain, DBS involves implanting a device to deliver electrical currents to specific parts of the brain that control movement. This stimulation helps to modulate the abnormal brain signals that cause Parkinson’s symptoms. “Most people with Parkinson’s see initial improvement from medications, but for patients like Jessica, some may go on to develop dyskinesia or notice symptom control becomes less consistent over time. When medications aren’t as effective, we can look at DBS as a potential treatment option,” says neurosurgeon Dr. Richard Rammo. Once her care team determined she was a candidate, Jessica underwent the surgeries needed for DBS in 2025. Her Parkinson’s symptoms eased after her device was activated and programmed. Jessica has adaptive DBS, which automatically adjusts electrical stimulation delivered to the brain to help manage Parkinson’s symptoms. “If her medications start to wear off, it can sense that and increase the stimulation to better manage her symptoms. It can also reduce stimulation when less is needed, like when she’s sleeping,” says certified nurse practitioner Ellen Walter. While this treatment does not stop Parkinson’s from progressing, Jessica now needs fewer medications, and her symptoms are currently well controlled. “I wake up every morning and don’t have to think about Parkinson’s,” says Jessica #ParkinsonsAwarenessMonth