Characteristics of local field potentials correlate with pain relief by deep brain stimulation.
To investigate the link between neuronal activity recorded from the sensory thalamus and periventricular gray/periaqueductal gray (PVAG) and pain relief by deep brain stimulation (DBS).



Local field potentials (LFPs) were recorded from the sensory thalamus and PVAG post-operatively from ten patients with neuropathic pain. The LFPs were quantified using spectral and time-frequency analysis, the relationship between the LFPs and pain relief was quantified with nonlinear correlation analysis.



The theta oscillations of both sensory thalamus and PVAG correlated inversely with pain relief. The high beta oscillations in the sensory thalamus and the alpha oscillations in the PVAG correlated positively with pain relief. Moreover, the ratio of high-power duration to low-power duration of theta band activity in the sensory thalamus and PVAG correlated inversely with pain relief. The duration ratio at the high beta band in the sensory thalamus correlated positively with pain relief.



Our results reveal distinct neuronal oscillations at the theta, alpha, and beta frequencies correlating with pain relief by DBS.



The study provides quantitative measures for predicting the outcomes of neuropathic pain relief by DBS as well as potential biomarkers for developing adaptive stimulation strategies.
Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: huangyz@sibet.ac.cn.
Yongzhi
Y
Huang
Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: 364418022@qq.com.
Huichun
H
Luo
Nuffield Department of Surgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: alex.green@nds.ox.ac.uk.
Alexander L
AL
Green
Nuffield Department of Surgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: tipu.aziz@nds.ox.ac.uk.
Tipu Z
TZ
Aziz
Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China. Electronic address: swang@sibet.ac.cn.
Shouyan
S
Wang
D000328:Adult; D058256:Brain Waves; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology
Deep brain stimulation; Local field potentials; Neural oscillations; Neuropathic pain; Spectra; Time–frequency