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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Analysis of Gene Expression Changes in the Rat Hippocampus After Deep Brain Stimulation of the Anterior Thalamic Nucleus
Published on: March 8, 2015
Evidence that ventrolateral thalamotomy may eliminate the supraspinal component of both pathological and
C Duval1, M Panisset, G Bertrand
1Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Quebec, Canada.
Abstract:
Ventrolateral (VL) thalamotomy produced a marked reduction of oscillations related to the supraspinal components of Parkinson's disease tremor (4-7 Hz) and physiological tremor (8-12 Hz). Finger tremor was examined in nine patients undergoing unilateral VL thalamotomy and in nine age-matched controls. In comparison to the preoperative state, the relative percentage of power within the 7.6-12.5 Hz band did not increase after the surgical procedure. Furthermore, the amount of absolute power within the 7.6-12.5 Hz band was much lower for post-surgical patients in comparison to matched controls when periods of tremor having equal amplitudes were compared. These results suggest that VL thalamotomy interrupts a common circuit involved in the supraspinal component of both physiological and pathological tremors. We provide evidence that the thalamus may be involved in circuits generating physiological tremor in humans.

