American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) Practice Exam 2025 - Free ABPN Practice Questions and Study Guide

The surgical intervention that is not typically used for treating idiopathic Parkinson's disease is deep brain stimulation of the superior colliculus. The most commonly targeted areas for surgical treatments in Parkinson's disease include the subthalamic nucleus and the globus pallidus interna, as these areas play significant roles in motor control and can alleviate symptoms.

Thalamotomy is a procedure where a portion of the thalamus is destroyed to reduce tremors and is sometimes used in patients with Parkinson's disease, particularly those with severe tremor-dominant forms. Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation is a widely accepted treatment for controlling motor symptoms in Parkinson's patients and is effective for managing both motor fluctuations and dyskinesias. Pallidotomy, involving the surgical destruction of a part of the globus pallidus, is also used to help manage symptoms in some patients.

While the superior colliculus is involved in visual processing and eye movements, it is not a conventional target for alleviating the hallmark motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. This makes it inappropriate for use in surgical interventions aimed at treating this condition.