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Updated: Jun 9, 2026
MRI-guided Disruption of the Blood-brain Barrier using Transcranial Focused Ultrasound in a Rat Model
Published on: March 13, 2012
Longitudinal Blood-Biomarker-Based Assessment of Brain Injury in Patients Undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation and
Justina Dargvainiene1, Ann-Kristin Helmers2, Juliana Naumann3
1Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
Background:
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) and magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) are associated with neuroaxonal damage and astroglial activation; yet their extent and timing remain unclear despite clinical relevance for monitoring and outcome assessment.
Objective:
This study assessed neuroaxonal damage and astroglial activation after DBS (n = 21) and MRgFUS (n = 19) reflected by serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP).
Methods:
Samples were collected at baseline, 24 h, 7 days, and 3/6/9 months posttreatment. Biomarker levels were measured using a single-molecule array (Simoa).
Results:
sNfL peaked at day 7 and sGFAP at 24 h post-intervention in both groups. sNfL normalized at 6 months in DBS and 3 months in MRgFUS. sGFAP normalized within 7 days in both groups. Biomarker elevations were higher in DBS patients.
Conclusions:
DBS and MRgFUS cause transient neuroaxonal injury and astroglial activation, with greater extent in DBS. Biomarker monitoring suggests final clinical evaluation should be performed 6 months after treatment at the earliest. © 2025 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
