Brain activity patterns reveal disease severity and clinical outcomes in dystonia patients who undergo deep brain simulation.

‘Theta band oscillations may be responsible for dystonic symptoms and may also explain the mechanism of action of deep brain simulation.’

Prof. Dr. Andrea Kühn, of Charité's Department of Neurology, leads a team of researchers committed to the study of movement disorders and the use of DBS-based treatments. So far, her team has recorded the brain activity of more than 400 patients undergoing DBS treatment, analyzing all of the data collected for potential patterns which correlate with symptom severity and treatment outcomes. Using 'LEAD-DBS', a type of software initially developed at Charité, the researchers used these data to reconstruct a 3D-map of the oscillatory amplitudes within a virtual brain. This revealed a significant localized increase in the relevant activity pattern, which was found in the area of the brain associated with the best treatment outcomes in dystonia patients undergoing DBS. 




"Our findings suggest that theta band oscillations may be responsible for dystonic symptoms, and may also explain the mechanism of action of DBS, as well as the location of the optimal stimulation target in affected patients," explains Dr. Wolf-Julian Neumann of the Movement Disorders Unit.
"We are also currently studying the long-term effects of DBS on neuronal activity. We are one of a few centers in the world to do so, and are currently running a separate study involving 15 patients with dystonia. Our research is made possible thanks to an innovative DBS system, which continues to record brain activity after implantation," explains Prof. Dr. Andrea Kühn, Head of the Movement Disorders Unit and Member of the Board of Directors of the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence.
Source-Eurekalert