title: Globus pallidus internus firing rate modification after motor-imagination in three Parkinson's disease patients.
abstract: Motor imagery is thought to involve the same processes of movement preparation as actual movement. Imagination of a simple repetitive movement significantly decreased the firing rate of extracellular micro recording at sensorimotor neurons of globus pallidus internus in three patients with Parkinson's disease, who underwent microelectrode-guided posteroventral pallidotomy. These findings suggest, in agreement with previous clinical and functional neuroimaging studies that the motor corticostriatal circuit could be engaged in mental simulation.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Department, Raul Carrea Institute for Neurological Research (FLENI), Montañeses 2325, 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leiguarda
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cerquetti
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tenca
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merello
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*