2. Accessing and Modulating Brain Circuitry in Freely Moving Human Subjects with Parkinson's

TL;DR

This talk discusses the use of deep brain stimulation to modulate brain circuitry in Parkinson's disease patients, the challenges and opportunities surrounding the access and measurement of neural activity, and the potential for closed-loop neurostimulation.

Transcript

Stanford University so actually I think I'll just sit down now because Bryan just gave my talk I'm kidding so I am going to tell you about how we are trying to solve a problem that a lot of people said was ridiculous and that is how do we access and modulate brain circuitry in freely moving human subjects with Parkinson's disease to develop precise... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧠 Deep brain stimulation is being used to access and modulate brain circuitry in Parkinson's disease patients for precise targeted therapies.
• 🧑‍🦼 Clinical rating scales and wearable sensors are being used to measure complex movements and fine motor control in human subjects.
• 🤕 Exaggerated oscillations in the beta band have been observed in the subthalamic nucleus of Parkinson's disease patients, and deep brain stimulation can attenuate these oscillations.

Questions & Answers

Q: How is fine motor control measured in individuals with Parkinson's disease?

Fine motor control can be measured using clinical rating scales, repetitive alternating finger tapping tasks on a MIDI keyboard, and engineered keyboards. Wearable sensors and force plates can also be used to measure axial motor control.

Q: What are some challenges in measuring neural activity in deep brain circuits in human subjects?

Challenges include the need for computerized objective and validated measures of complex movements, as well as access to and recording of neural activity in deep regions of the brain. Real-time measurement of neural activity and movement in freely moving individuals also presents challenges.

Q: What is the role of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson's disease and deep brain stimulation?

The STN is a key node in the basal ganglia and is affected in Parkinson's disease. Deep brain stimulation of the STN has been shown to attenuate exaggerated beta oscillations and improve symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients.

Q: How can closed-loop deep brain stimulation be used to enhance treatment for neuropsychiatric diseases?

Closed-loop deep brain stimulation can use kinematic or neural signals associated with specific symptoms to drive more precise and customized neuromodulation. This has the potential to improve treatment outcomes for a broad range of neuropsychiatric diseases.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is being used to access and modulate brain circuitry in Parkinson's disease patients for precise targeted therapies.

• Clinical rating scales and wearable sensors have been used to measure complex movements and fine motor control in human subjects.

• Exaggerated oscillations in the beta band have been observed in the subthalamic nucleus of Parkinson's disease patients, and DBS has been shown to attenuate these oscillations.

• Closed-loop DBS, driven by kinematic or neural signals, has the potential to improve symptoms and customize neuromodulation for a variety of neuropsychiatric diseases.