University Clinic for Neurology to introduce Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s treatments

In North Macedonia there are about 24,000 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and about 5,000 with Parkinson’s disease. In cooperation with the University Clinic Ljubljana, the University Clinic for Neurology will introduce two treatments from next year aimed at improving patients’ quality of life.

The two interventions are Deep Brain Stimulation for people with Parkinson’s and anti-amyloid antibodies for patients with Alzheimer’s-type dementia. Funding has been secured, but multidisciplinary teams must be formed, said Jovan Bozhinovski, director of the Clinic for Neurology.

Clinical know‑how will be transferred by the neurologist Dejan Georgiev from the University Clinic Ljubljana, where patients with these diseases have been treated successfully for decades.

How deep brain stimulation helps

"Patients practically get a chance for a new life with Deep Brain Stimulation. That means the quality of life in the advanced phase of Parkinson’s disease is so deteriorated that they cannot perform normal daily activities. With Deep Brain Stimulation the condition is returned at least ten years back – Dejan Georgiev, specialist neurologist at the University Clinic – Ljubljana."

"Deep Brain Stimulation is not a new method. However, it has been extremely successful and proven over the past 30 years. Unfortunately, it still has not been performed in North Macedonia. But it is my great pleasure to start planning and implementing this method. At the same time we will prepare the system and the infrastructure, so that we get ready for the new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease," said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gabriela Novotni of the Clinic for Neurology.

Clinic officials say the next steps are setting up multidisciplinary teams, adapting infrastructure and beginning training and routine procedures, with the objective to launch both treatments in the coming year.

Photo: press material from the event