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Updated: May 19, 2026

A Novel Approach to Assess Motor Outcome of Deep Brain Stimulation Effects in the Hemiparkinsonian Rat: Staircase and Cylinder Test
Published on: May 31, 2016
Clinicopathological study in progressive supranuclear palsy with pedunculopontine stimulation
Lili-Naz Hazrati1, Janice C Wong, Clement Hamani
1Department of Pathology, University of Toronto, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. lilinaz.hazrati@utoronto.ca
Background:
Pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) DBS has emerged as a potential intervention for patients with gait and balance disorders. However, targeting this nucleus can be challenging. We report on the first neuropathological analyses after PPN-DBS surgery in advanced progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
Methods:
Two patients with PSP underwent unilateral PPN-DBS surgery and were clinically followed to autopsy. Both patients underwent postmortem neuropathological analysis, including choline acetyltransferase immunohistochemistry, to ascertain PPN boundaries and electrode location.
Results:
Both patients experienced partial improvement in some motor and nonmotor domains postintervention, but died shortly of other complications. Postmortem neuropathological analysis of each patient confirmed the electrode in a region of cholinergic neuronal loss corresponding to the PPN.
Conclusions:
We provide histopathological evidence for the validity of our stereotactic approach to target the PPN and correlate electrode location with clinical outcomes.
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