We review the history of the globus pallidus internus (GPi) as target for deep brain stimulation (DBS), which is now an established, safe and effective method of treating the motor complications of advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD).

We comprehensively review the literature on GPi DBS for PD, including anatomy, physiology, somatotopy, surgical targeting and management, potential pitfalls and optimal location for lead placement.

We outline the evidence underlying the effectiveness of GPi DBS in PD for managing PD symptoms.

We present common patient programming strategies in GPi DBS and strategies to avoid adverse effects

We discuss new emerging technologies that will modify application of GPi DBS in PD in the future.