Health
Music conductor with Parkinson’s sees symptoms improve with deep brain stimulation
An Ohio music conductor is using deep brain stimulation to combat his Parkinson’s disease.
Rand Laycock, 70, the director and conductor of a symphony orchestra, was diagnosed just before his 60th birthday, according to a press release from Cleveland Clinic.
“My doctor at the time told me [a Parkinson’s diagnosis] wasn’t a death sentence, and there would be advancements over the next few years to help with my treatment,” said Laycock.
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Even after a regimen of medications, however, Laycock’s symptoms continued to progress over the next 11 years.
Rand Laycock (pictured), a symphony orchestra conductor, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s nearly 11 years ago, just before his 60th birthday. (Cleveland Clinic)
When tremors in his right hand began increasing in severity and frequency, he began exploring other treatments.
“The tremor would really start to be pronounced if I had a deadline coming up for something with the orchestra,” Laycock told Cleveland Clinic.
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He also started experiencing dyskinesias, which are involuntary movements that can be a side effect of long-term use of certain Parkinson’s medications.
Michal Gostkowski, DO, a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic, introduced Laycock to the alternative option of deep brain stimulation (DBS), which was described as a “pacemaker for the brain.”
“My doctor at the time told me [a Parkinson’s diagnosis] wasn’t a death sentence, and there would be advancements over the next few years to help with my treatment,” Laycock told Cleveland Clinic. (Cleveland Clinic)
DBS is a “treatment that involves an implanted device that delivers an electrical current directly to areas of your brain,” according to Cleveland Clinic.
There are billions of neurons in the brain, which communicate using electrical and chemical signals. Some brain conditions, including Parkinson’s, can make those neurons less active, the same source stated.
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Deep brain stimulation applies an electrical current to make those neurons more active.
In May 2024, Laycock received a brain implant as the first step of the DBS therapy. He then activated and set up his device with programmer Erica Hennigs, the release detailed.
“I know the thought of brain surgery can be intimidating, but it’s a life-changing procedure that allows you to become your own self again.”
“When it comes to programming the device, we try different settings at first,” said Hennigs. “We then adjust those during follow-up visits as we learn more about how his symptoms are being controlled.”
After seeing success for nearly a year, Laycock progressed to a more advanced form of DBS called adaptive deep brain stimulation, or aDBS.
“Traditional DBS gives the same stimulation to the brain 24 hours a day. What makes aDBS different is that it can adapt and fine-tune the stimulation in real time.” (Cleveland Clinic)
“Traditional DBS gives the same stimulation to the brain 24 hours a day. What makes aDBS different is that it can adapt and fine-tune the stimulation in real time,” said Dr. Michael Gostkowski, a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic, in the release.
“By tracking a certain frequency in the brain, it can increase or decrease the stimulation as needed to better control symptoms.”
Laycock was a good candidate for the advanced therapy because his symptoms fluctuated throughout the day, which means a treatment that could adapt to those fluctuations could be more effective, according to the clinic.
“Since Rand’s a music conductor, fine-tuning with aDBS would reduce the risk of him experiencing tremors if his medication were to wear off in the middle of a concert or performance,” said Hennigs.
Laycock was a good candidate for the advanced therapy because his symptoms fluctuated throughout the day. (Rand Laycock)
Because of his previous positive experience with DBS, Laycock jumped at the chance to receive the new version.
“It sounded like it would make my life simpler – not having to worry about adjusting my device settings and medications as frequently,” he told Cleveland Clinic.
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The conductor’s implanted device was able to support new adaptive technology, so it was just a matter of working with Hennigs to update the settings.
Laycock began receiving aDBS in March 2025. Now, his tremors are almost completely gone except for times of extreme stress or anxiety, according to the release.
Throughout his health journey, Laycock has not only been supported by his care team, but also his family. (Rand Laycock)
“And my dyskinesia is pretty well under control,” he said. “My symptoms are minimal compared to the way they were, and a lot of that is due to adaptive deep brain stimulation.”
Laycock is now approaching his 47th year as a music conductor, the release stated, and he looks forward to spending time with his wife, two children and granddaughter.
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Gostkowski encourages Parkinson’s patients to ask their doctors about DBS or aDBS as an option to control symptoms and improve quality of life.
Laycock added, “I know the thought of brain surgery can be intimidating, but it’s a life-changing procedure that allows you to become your own self again.”
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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