Dentate Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation for Spinocerebellar Ataxia: Results of a 6‐Month Follow‐Up

BACKGROUND: Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a genetically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder with no effective treatments. Although noninvasive cerebellar neuromodulation has shown positive outcomes, invasive approaches such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) remain inadequately evaluated in SCA. OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the treatment outcomes of DBS targeting the cerebellar dentate nucleus (DN) in SCA patients over a 6-month follow-up. METHODS: Six patients with heterogeneous SCA underwent bilateral DN-DBS. The stimulation parameters were programmed iteratively, and ataxia symptoms were evaluated at predefined intervals using the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS). RESULTS: Individualized appropriate stimulation parameters (current, frequency, and pulse width) were established. At the 6-month follow-up, the SARA scores decreased by 43% (P = 0.014) and the ICARS scores by 51% (P = 0.013) compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence for the potential therapeutic efficacy of DN-DBS in SCA and offer preliminary insights for stimulation parameter programming. © 2025 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.