Deep brain stimulation can alleviate motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease by disinhibiting the motor system, providing years of improved life, though it does not stop neuronal death.

“Parkinson's disease, we know what causes it, and the symptom is, you don't have enough output from your motor system, and so you can disinhibit the system with a deep brain stimulating nucleus, and people... Everyone's seen the videos. If you haven't, go to YouTube, - Mm-hmm. - Parkinson's on and off, - ... deep brain stimulator, and you'll see people who were golfing, and then can barely walk. Now, you and I know, as many people do, those final neurons will eventually die, and that will eventually be a problem. You're not changing the death that's happening in a person with Parkinson's, but you're giving them years of new life.”