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Deep Brain Stimulation with Simultaneous fMRI in Rodents
Published on: February 15, 2014
Deep brain stimulation improves performance of complex instrumental paradigms.
Gisa Ellrichmann1, Ali Harati, Thomas Müller
1Department of Neurology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
European Neurology
|April 26, 2008
Summary
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus improved motor symptoms and complex movement performance in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Cognitive function and reaction times also showed benefits during stimulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor and cognitive deficits.
- Instrumental paradigms are used to assess these functional impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (DBS) in PD patients.
- To assess impacts on motor symptoms, complex and simple movement series, and simple reaction time (SRT) tasks.
- To explore interrelations between study parameters during DBS.
Main Methods:
- Bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN).
- Assessment using instrumental paradigms for motor behavior and cognitive function.
- Evaluation of scored motor symptoms.
Main Results:
- Significant improvement in motor symptoms, complex movement performance, and SRT tasks with DBS ON.
- No significant difference in simple movement series between DBS ON and OFF.
- Correlations between instrumental tests and motor symptoms (off state).
- Correlations between complex movements and SRT outcomes (on state).
Conclusions:
- Subthalamic nucleus DBS enhances performance in complex motor tasks requiring cognitive effort in PD patients.
- DBS improves basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry function and cognitive function.
- DBS is a viable therapeutic option for improving motor and cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease.
