2 Apr 2025
Achieving more together: PARKLINK, with its coordination center at LMU Hospital Großhadern, brings together specialists to ensure the best possible care for Parkinson's patients, even in rural areas of Bavaria.
Today, follow-up care for patients who have had a brain stimulator implanted can also be provided via telemedicine. | © LMU Klinikum
Currently, around 400,000 people in Germany live with Parkinson's disease—a progressive condition that, in addition to the cardinal motor symptoms of reduced movement, muscle stiffness, resting tremors, and postural instability, causes a variety of other non-motor symptoms that can significantly impair quality of life.
Thanks to innovative treatment approaches, it is now possible to effectively alleviate the symptoms. However, not all regions in Bavaria have the option of maintaining their own specialized department or clinic for individualized, high-quality medical care for Parkinson's patients. To close this gap and offer those affected optimal care close to home that is also linked to the expertise of a university hospital, the PARKLINK cooperation network was founded: a collaboration of 11 clinics from Upper and Lower Bavaria, the Upper Palatinate, and Upper Swabia, initiated by the Neurology Clinic of the LMU Hospital.
New therapies such as deep brain stimulation
"PARKLINK combines modern, guideline-based Parkinson's therapy with the latest research findings. Uniform standards enable access to innovative diagnostic and treatment procedures," explains Prof. Günter Höglinger, Director of the Neurological Clinic and Polyclinic at LMU Hospital. These include state-of-the-art imaging and laboratory diagnostic tests, as well as advanced treatment options such as drug pumps for constant medication delivery and deep brain stimulation: "For Parkinson's patients for whom medication is no longer sufficient, deep brain stimulation can be an effective alternative. This is because the procedure uses electrical impulses in the brain to relieve motor symptoms very effectively. Thanks to modern technologies and tolerable anesthesia procedures, the treatment is now particularly gentle," explains the coordinator of PARKLINK and head of the outpatient clinic for deep brain stimulation, pump therapy, and complex Parkinson's treatment at the Neurological Clinic of LMU Hospital, PD Dr. Thomas Köglsperger.
Digital medicine: telemedicine & wearables
Whether deep brain stimulation—or another treatment option—is promising in individual cases is discussed and decided with the help of telemedicine in interdisciplinary case conferences with specialists from the respective partner clinic. "We can also use the video connection to precisely adjust a brain stimulator remotely," says PD Dr. Köglsperger.
New digital technologies also enable precise therapy adjustment and location-independent care for Parkinson's patients. For example, special wearable motion sensors—known as wearables—allow continuous recording and monitoring of typical Parkinson's symptoms, enabling a prompt response to deterioration or severe fluctuations with adjusted therapy.
Parkinson's patients who are cared for by PARKLINK also have the opportunity to participate in studies conducted by LMU Hospital. And since the disease also brings about many changes for family members, they too are actively involved through training courses.
PARKLINK also offers continuing education courses for professionals and regular patient information days. Structured training courses and uniform quality standards ensure that the latest findings are directly incorporated into practice.
Notice regarding two patient events:
Parkinson's disease – a field in flux
Friday, 11 April 2025, 2.30 to 5 p.m. at LMU Klinikum Großhadern, Lecture Hall 5
Atypical Parkinson's syndromes – a field in motion
Saturday, 12 April 2025, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at LMU Klinikum Großhadern, Lecture Hall 5
The PARKLINK network:
The work of PARKLINK is supported by the LMU Endowment Fund: