Thalamic deep brain stimulation activates the cerebellothalamocortical pathway.
To investigate the mechanism of action of deep brain stimulation (DBS), the authors studied the effects of thalamic DBS on the cerebellothalamocortical (CTC) pathway. With DBS turned off, excitability of the CTC pathway was reduced. Turning DBS on resulted in facilitation of the CTC pathway. Therefore, thalamic DBS appears to activate rather than inhibit the target area.
Molnar
G F
GF
Division of Neurology , Krembil Neuroscience Centre and Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sailer
A
A
Gunraj
C A
CA
Lang
A E
AE
Lozano
A M
AM
Chen
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000502:physiology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000503:physiopathology*