Active and Passive Cycling Decrease Subthalamic β Oscillations in Parkinson's Disease

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Movement Disorders
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Parkinson's disease (PD) impacts motor control, with freezing of gait (FOG) being a debilitating symptom.
• Understanding preserved motor capabilities like cycling in PD is crucial for developing effective therapies.
• Previous studies suggest cycling enhances motor continuation by suppressing beta oscillations in the subthalamic nucleus (STN).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of active and passive cycling on neural activity in the STN of PD patients.
• To compare these effects between patients with and without FOG.
• To determine the role of sensory input during cycling in modulating brain activity.

Main Methods:

• Local field potentials (LFPs) were recorded from the STN in 12 PD patients (6 with FOG, 6 without FOG).
• Beta (13-30 Hz) and high gamma (60-100 Hz) power were analyzed during active and passive cycling at various cadences.
• Passive cycling utilized a motor-driven setup to isolate sensory input effects.

Main Results:

• Both active and passive cycling significantly suppressed pathological beta activity.
• Active cycling showed increased high gamma band activity compared to passive cycling.
• Beta suppression was more pronounced in patients with FOG, particularly during passive cycling.
• Cadence did not influence the observed effects of cycling on neural activity.

Conclusions:

• Proprioceptive input during cycling is linked to beta-wave suppression in PD.
• Continuous external sensory input and proprioceptive feedback from rhythmic cycling facilitate motor control.
• Systematic passive mobilization through cycling may offer therapeutic benefits for PD patients, especially those with FOG.