\u2022 Milestone highlights the shift toward real-time, personalised neuromodulation in Parkinson\u2019s treatment
\u2022 Announced on the occasion of World Parkinson\u2019s Day, underscoring the need for awareness and timely access to advanced therapies
CHENNAI, India \u2013 10 April 2026: Apollo Hospitals, Chennai announces a major milestone in the treatment of Parkinson\u2019s disease in India, the country\u2019s first clinical activation of Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation (aDBS). The procedure was carried out on 2 March 2026 by Dr. Vijayashankar Paramanandam, Dr. Arvind Sukumaran, and their team. The programme is led by clinicians with advanced international fellowship training in movement disorders neurology and functional neurosurgery.
A recent British Medical Journal study underscores the rising burden of Parkinson\u2019s disease in India, with an estimated 2.8 million people expected to be living with the condition by 2050 (range 2.3\u20133.5 million), second only to China and accounting for nearly one-tenth of global cases. South Asia is projected to contribute nearly 6.8 million cases overall. Globally, the Parkinson\u2019s population is expected to reach 25.2 million\u2014up over 112% from 2021 levels\u2014with India alone projected to see a 160\u2013180% increase. Current global prevalence stands at 267 cases per one lakh people.
The milestone builds on the hospital\u2019s established Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) programme, developed through sustained experience in movement disorders and functional neurosurgery. This follows an initial period of clinical follow-up to assess the patient\u2019s response to the treatment.
Conventional DBS has transformed care for appropriately selected Parkinson\u2019s patients by delivering continuous electrical stimulation to targeted areas of the brain. Adaptive DBS fine tunes it by introducing a more responsive approach, adjusting stimulation in real time based on the patient\u2019s own brain signals. This approach is supported by sensing-enabled neurostimulation systems, including those developed by Medtronic, allowing therapy to better align with fluctuations in symptoms across the day.
Adaptive DBS is an important advance in Parkinson\u2019s therapy,\u201d said Dr. Vijayashankar Paramanandam, Senior Consultant Neurologist & Movement Disorders and DBS Specialist, Apollo Hospitals, Greams Lane-Chennai. \u201cAdaptive DBS represents the next major evolution from conventional, continuous DBS therapy. By actively monitoring the brain\u2019s unique electrical signals, the system responds instantaneously, delivering the precise amount of stimulation exactly when it is needed. This effectively smooths out unpredictable symptoms and improves the quality of life , bringing us closer to truly personalized DBS care.\u201d
\u201cIn any new technology, what matters is patient benefit,\u201d said Dr. Arvind Sukumaran, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Greams Lane- Chennai. \u201cFollowing activation, programming and clinical follow-up over a month, we have seen encouraging early response in terms of stability throughout the day. That is a meaningful outcome in Parkinson\u2019s, where fluctuation is often the most challenging aspect to manage.\u201d The patient, a 62-year-old male, also reported meaningful improvement. \u201cI feel more stable through the day, and that makes a real difference to daily life,\u201d he said.
Parkinson\u2019s disease is a progressive neurological condition that affects movement, independence, and quality of life. Patients who have lived with the disease for several years, require multiple medications, and experience significant \u201coff\u201d periods or dyskinesias may benefit from timely referral for advanced therapies such as DBS.
Observed every year on April 11, World Parkinson\u2019s Day highlights the need for greater awareness, early diagnosis, and improved access to care. This development reflects the growing role of advanced, physiology-guided therapies in addressing unmet needs in Parkinson\u2019s management in India.
About Apollo Hospitals:
Apollo revolutionised healthcare when Dr. Prathap Reddy opened the first hospital in Chennai in 1983. Today, Apollo is the world\u2019s largest integrated healthcare platform with over 10,400 beds across 76 hospitals, 6,600+ pharmacies, 264 clinics, 2,182 diagnostic centres, and 800+ telemedicine centres. It is one of the world\u2019s leading cardiac centers, having performed over 3,00,000 angioplasties and 2,00,000 surgeries. Apollo continues to invest in research and innovation to bring the most cutting-edge technologies, equipment, and treatment protocols to ensure patients have access to the best care in the world. Apollo\u2019s 1,20,000 family members are dedicated to delivering exceptional care and leaving the world better than we found it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2022 Milestone highlights the shift toward real-time, personalised neuromodulation in Parkinson\u2019s treatment\u2022 Announced on the occasion of World Parkinson\u2019s Day, underscoring the need for awareness and timely access to advanced therapiesCHENNAI, India \u2013 10 April 2026: Apollo Hospitals, Chennai announces a major milestone in the treatment of Parkinson\u2019s disease in India, the country\u2019s first clinical…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n