title: Subthalamic deep brain stimulation increases pallidal firing rate and regularity.
abstract: While high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-HFS) is highly effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD), the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic action remain unclear. Here, we report changes of single-neuron pallidal activity during STN-HFS in a parkinsonian patient. STN-HFS increased firing rate in both segments of the pallidum. Neurons displayed time-locked responses to stimulation pulses, with an early excitation followed by inhibition and late excitation. Finally, pallidal neurons fired more regularly during STN-HFS. The time-locked responses and increased firing regularity may override abnormally patterned pallidal activity, and thereby significantly contribute to the clinical efficacy of STN-HFS in PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leblois
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steigerwald
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pötter-Nerger
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.forename: H Maximilian
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mehdorn
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deuschl
authors.forename: Wassilios G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Volkmann
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*