Black people less likely than white to get Parkinson’s surgery in US

Researchers analysed more than 50,000 deep brain stimulation procedures carried out in the US and found that Black people were five times less likely to have the surgery than their white counterparts

By Jason Arunn Murugesu

Black people in the US may be five times less likely to be treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease than white people.

DBS is a surgical procedure used in people with Parkinson’s for whom medication is no longer effective. It involves stimulating parts of the brain to control abnormal brain activity, which can lessen the tremors associated with the condition.

Samuel Cramer at the University of Minnesota and …