Local Field Potential Recordings Using Deep Brain Stimulation: A Practical Workflow and Open-Source Signal Processing
Albert Guillemette1,2,3,4,5, Marc-Antoine Gobeil2,5, Adan-Ulises Dominguez-Vargas3,4,6
1Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Qc, Canada.
Abstract:
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) systems with electrophysiological recording capabilities offer a unique opportunity to chronically record local field potentials (LFP) from implanted electrodes, enabling real-time monitoring of subcortical neural dynamics and the development of adaptive neuromodulation strategies. However, translating raw LFP into clinically relevant biomarkers remains challenging due to numerous technical considerations. To address this, we share both a practical guide for conducting LFP experiments and BrainWave-DBS, an open-source pipeline that implements the workflow and supports analysis of patient-derived LFP data. The pipeline covers data import, preprocessing, spectral analysis, and visualization, offering a reproducible framework for LFP analysis. Furthermore, we demonstrate the functionality of the pipeline using a representative Parkinson's disease dataset and highlight key technical insights gained through this work. By improving access to neural signal acquisition and analysis, our goal is to foster broader adoption of this technology, which could advance closed-loop neuromodulation of deep brain structures.
