One of the functions of the excitatory subthalamic nucleus (STN) is to relay cortical activity to other basal ganglia structures. The response of the STN to cortical input is shaped by inhibition from the reciprocally connected globus pallidus (GP). To examine the activity in the STN-GP network in relation to cortical activity, we recorded single and multiple unit activity in STN and/or GP toge...

Introduction. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been linked to a decline in verbal fluency. The decline can be attributed to surgical effects, but the relative contributions of the stimulation parameters are not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the frequency of STN-DBS on the performance of verbal fluency ta...

Growing evidence shows that dysfunction of the limbic basal ganglia (BG) network is implicated in repetitive behaviors, such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette's syndrome (TS), in humans. Because deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the posterior subthalamic nucleus (STN), which modulates the sensorimotor BG network, is beneficial in movement disorders, stimulation of the anterior, ...

Subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been known to play an important role in the regulation of cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loop. STN neurons have pacemaking activitiy and their firing pattern can switch from spike mode to bursting mode when membrane potential becomes hyperpolarized. Recent study has shown that STN neurons show marked increase in burst and oscillatory activity during the dop...

Background: Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation (STN-DBS) is highly effective in alleviating motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) which are not optimally controlled by dopamine replacement therapy. Clinical studies and reports suggest that STN-DBS may result in increased impulsivity and de novo impulse control disorders (ICD). Objective/Hypothesis: We aimed to compare performance o...

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with prior radio-frequency lesions in the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi, pallidotomy), whose symptoms have deteriorated, may be candidates for further invasive treatment such as subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN DBS). Six patients with prior pallidotomy (five unilaterally; one bilaterally) underwent bilateral STN DBS. The microelectrode rec...

OBJECTIVES To investigate the oscillatory activity in the Parkinsonian subthalamic nucleus using the macro-electrodes for deep brain stimulation. METHODS During bilateral deep brain stimulating electrode implantation, spontaneous and evoked field potentials were recorded from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in two patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) during spontaneous resting tremor, passive...

We report the 5 to 6 year follow-up of a multicenter study of bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus internus (GPi) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Thirty-five STN patients and 16 GPi patients were assessed at 5 to 6 years after DBS surgery. Primary outcome measure was the stimulation effect on the motor Unified Parkinson's Disease Ra...

BACKGROUND High-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a neurosurgical alternative to medical treatment in levodopa-responsive forms of Parkinson disease. The mechanism of action of STN stimulation remains controversial, although an inhibition of overactive STN neurons has been postulated. OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of high-frequency STN stimulation on the neuronal ...

AIM Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) relieves motor dysfunction in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, STN DBS treated patients can experience unpleasant and debilitating psychiatric side effects such as depression and impulsivity. The neural basis of these psychiatric effects has been linked to a dysfunction of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) neurotra...