title: The pedunculopontine nucleus as a target for deep brain stimulation.
abstract: The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a brain stem locomotive center that is also involved in the processing of sensory and behavioral information. The PPN has been recently proposed as a potential target for the treatment of axial symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). To date, results of the first series of PD patients treated with PPN deep brain stimulation (DBS) have shown promising results. In this article, we review some of the basic aspects of the PPN as a target and the outcome of the recently published clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst Street WW 4-447, Toronto, ON, M5T2S8, Canada.
authors.forename: Clement
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hamani
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.forename: Andres M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lozano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D045042:Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*