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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
The Effects of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation and Retention Delay on Memory-Guided Reaching Performance
Michael P Trevarrow1, Miranda J Munoz1, Yessenia M Rivera1
1Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Background:
Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) improves intensive aspects of movement (velocity) in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) but impairs the more cognitively demanding coordinative aspects of movement (error). We extended these findings by evaluating STN-DBS induced changes in intensive and coordinative aspects of movement during a memory-guided reaching task with varying retention delays.
Objective:
We evaluated the effect of STN-DBS on motor control during a memory-guided reaching task with short and long retention delays in participants with PD and compared performance to healthy controls (HC).
Methods:
Eleven participants with PD completed the motor section of the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS III) and performed a memory-guided reaching task under four different STN-DBS conditions (DBS-OFF, DBS-RIGHT, DBS-LEFT, and DBS-BOTH) and two retention delays (0.5 s and 5 s). An additional 13 HC completed the memory-guided reaching task.
Results:
Unilateral and bilateral STN-DBS improved the MDS-UPDRS III scores. In the memory-guided reaching task, both unilateral and bilateral STN-DBS increased the intensive aspects of movement (amplitude and velocity) in the direction toward HC but impaired coordinative aspects of movement (error) away from the HC. Furthermore, movement time was decreased but reaction time was unaffected by STN-DBS. Shorter retention delays increased amplitude and velocity, decreased movement times, and decreased error, but increased reaction times in the participants with PD. There were no interactions between STN-DBS condition and retention delay.
Conclusion:
STN-DBS may affect cognitive-motor functioning by altering activity throughout cortico-basal ganglia networks and the oscillatory activity subserving them.
