Music Conductor With Parkinson’s Sees Symptoms Improve With Deep Brain Stimulation

An Ohio euphony conductor is utilizing heavy encephalon stimulation to combat his Parkinson’s disease.

Rand Laycock, 70, nan head and conductor of a symphony orchestra, was diagnosed conscionable earlier his 60th birthday, according to a property merchandise from Cleveland Clinic.

"My expert astatine nan clip told maine [a Parkinson’s diagnosis] wasn’t a decease sentence, and location would beryllium advancements complete nan adjacent fewer years to thief pinch my treatment," said Laycock.

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Even aft a regimen of medications, however, Laycock's symptoms continued to advancement complete nan adjacent 11 years.

Rand Laycock (pictured), a symphony orchestra conductor, was diagnosed pinch Parkinson's astir 11 years ago, conscionable earlier his 60th birthday. (Cleveland Clinic)

When tremors successful his correct manus began expanding successful severity and frequency, he began exploring different treatments.

"The tremor would really commencement to beryllium pronounced if I had a deadline coming up for thing pinch nan orchestra," Laycock told Cleveland Clinic.

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He besides started experiencing dyskinesias, which are involuntary movements that tin beryllium a broadside effect of semipermanent usage of definite Parkinson's medications.

Michal Gostkowski, DO, a neurologist astatine Cleveland Clinic, introduced Laycock to nan replacement action of deep encephalon stimulation (DBS), which was described arsenic a "pacemaker for nan brain."

"My expert astatine nan clip told maine [a Parkinson’s diagnosis] wasn’t a decease sentence, and location would beryllium advancements complete nan adjacent fewer years to thief pinch my treatment," Laycock told Cleveland Clinic. (Cleveland Clinic)

DBS is simply a "treatment that involves an implanted instrumentality that delivers an electrical existent straight to areas of your brain," according to Cleveland Clinic.

There are billions of neurons successful nan brain, which pass utilizing electrical and chemic signals. Some brain conditions, including Parkinson's, tin make those neurons little active, nan aforesaid root stated.

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Deep encephalon stimulation applies an electrical existent to make those neurons much active.

In May 2024, Laycock received a brain implant arsenic nan first measurement of nan DBS therapy. He past activated and group up his instrumentality pinch programmer Erica Hennigs, nan merchandise detailed.

"I cognize nan thought of encephalon room tin beryllium intimidating, but it’s a life-changing process that allows you to go your ain aforesaid again."

"When it comes to programming nan device, we effort different settings astatine first," said Hennigs. "We past set those during follow-up visits arsenic we study much astir really his symptoms are being controlled."

After seeing occurrence for astir a year, Laycock progressed to a much precocious shape of DBS called adaptive heavy encephalon stimulation, aliases aDBS.

"Traditional DBS gives nan aforesaid stimulation to nan encephalon 24 hours a day. What makes aDBS different is that it tin accommodate and fine-tune nan stimulation successful existent time." (Cleveland Clinic)

"Traditional DBS gives nan aforesaid stimulation to nan encephalon 24 hours a day. What makes aDBS different is that it tin accommodate and fine-tune nan stimulation successful existent time," said Dr. Michael Gostkowski, a neurologist astatine Cleveland Clinic, successful nan release.

"By search a definite wave successful nan brain, it tin summation aliases alteration nan stimulation arsenic needed to amended power symptoms."

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Laycock was a bully campaigner for nan precocious therapy because his symptoms fluctuated passim nan day, which intends a curen that could accommodate to those fluctuations could beryllium much effective, according to nan clinic.

"Since Rand’s a euphony conductor, fine-tuning pinch aDBS would trim nan consequence of him experiencing tremors if his medicine were to deterioration disconnected successful nan mediate of a performance aliases performance," said Hennigs.

Laycock was a bully campaigner for nan precocious therapy because his symptoms fluctuated passim nan day. (Rand Laycock)

Because of his erstwhile affirmative acquisition pinch DBS, Laycock jumped astatine nan chance to person nan caller version.

"It sounded for illustration it would make my life simpler – not having to interest astir adjusting my instrumentality settings and medications arsenic frequently," he told Cleveland Clinic.

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The conductor’s implanted instrumentality was capable to support caller adaptive technology, truthful it was conscionable a matter of moving pinch Hennigs to update nan settings. 

Laycock began receiving aDBS successful March 2025. Now, his tremors are almost wholly gone isolated from for times of utmost stress aliases anxiety, according to nan release.

Throughout his wellness journey, Laycock has not only been supported by his attraction team, but besides his family. (Rand Laycock)

"And my dyskinesia is beautiful good nether control," he said. "My symptoms are minimal compared to nan measurement they were, and a batch of that is owed to adaptive heavy encephalon stimulation."

Laycock is now approaching his 47th twelvemonth arsenic a euphony conductor, nan merchandise stated, and he looks guardant to spending clip pinch his wife, 2 children and granddaughter. 

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Gostkowski encourages Parkinson's patients to inquire their doctors astir DBS aliases aDBS arsenic an action to power symptoms and amended quality of life.

Laycock added, "I cognize nan thought of encephalon room tin beryllium intimidating, but it’s a life-changing process that allows you to go your ain aforesaid again."