Chronic Pallidal Local Field Potentials Are Associated With Dystonic Symptoms in Children

Novel deep brain stimulation devices can record local field potentials (LFPs), which represent the synchronous synaptic activity of neuronal populations. The clinical relevance of LFPs in patients with dystonia remains unclear.

We sought to determine whether chronic LFPs recorded from the globus pallidus internus (GPi) were associated with symptoms of dystonia in children.

Ten patients with heterogeneous forms of dystonia (genetic and acquired) were implanted with neurostimulators that recorded LFP spectral snapshots. Spectra were compared across parent-reported asymptomatic and symptomatic periods, with daily narrowband data superimposed in 24 one-hour bins.

Spectral power increased during periods of registered dystonic symptoms: mean increase = 102%, CI: (76.7, 132). Circadian rhythms within the LFP narrowband time series correlated with dystonic symptoms: for delta/theta-waves, correlation = 0.33, CI: (0.18, 0.47) and for alpha waves, correlation = 0.27, CI: (0.14, 0.40).

LFP spectra recorded in the GPi indicate a circadian pattern and are associated with the manifestation of dystonic symptoms.