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Acute In Vivo Electrophysiological Recordings of Local Field Potentials and Multi-unit Activity from the Hyperdirect Pathway in Anesthetized Rats
Published on: June 22, 2017
Microelectrode recording in the posterior hypothalamic region in humans
Sepehr Sani1, Shoichi Shimamoto, Robert S Turner
1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA. sepehr.sani@ucsf.edu
Neurosurgery
|February 26, 2009
Summary
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the posterior hypothalamic region (PHR) targets cluster headaches. Neuronal recordings in the PHR revealed a significantly lower discharge rate compared to thalamic neurons, offering insights for treatment localization.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the posterior hypothalamic region (PHR) is an emerging treatment for intractable cluster headaches.
- Limited data exists on human PHR neuronal recordings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize spontaneous neuronal discharge properties in the human PHR.
- To compare PHR neuronal activity with adjacent thalamic regions.
Main Methods:
- Single unit recordings were performed in 6 patients undergoing DBS for cluster headaches.
- Neuronal discharge rates and oscillatory activity were analyzed.
- Data was compared between hypothalamic and ventromedial thalamic units.
Main Results:
- 24 neuronal units in the PHR were evaluated.
- PHR neurons exhibited slow, regular spontaneous discharge (mean 13.2 Hz) with low-amplitude action potentials.
- Hypothalamic units had a significantly lower discharge rate than medial thalamic units (28.0 Hz).
- No oscillatory activity was detected in the PHR.
Conclusions:
- Human PHR neurons have a significantly lower single-unit discharge rate than dorsal medial thalamic neurons.
- These findings aid in microelectrode localization for cluster headache DBS targets.
- The data provides a baseline for comparison with animal studies.
