Return of bradykinesia after subthalamic stimulation ceases: relationship to electrode location.

Abstract

In 20 subjects we quantified the rate at which subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation effects on Parkinson's bradykinesia "washed-out" after stimulation ceased. We found that wash-out was a two-step process, consisting of an initial fast decrease in stimulation's therapeutic effect, followed by a further, slow decline. Moreover, the relative contribution of the fast and slow components differed between patients. Finally, we found that lateral stimulation caused more of the fast-decaying component, while medial stimulation caused more of the slow-decaying component. This implies the existence of at least two separate mechanisms by which subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation improves bradykinesia, associated with activation of spatially separate zones in the vicinity of the subthalamic nucleus.

• Authors: Scott Evan Cooper, Angela Marie Noecker, Hesham Abboud, Jerrold Lee Vitek, Cameron Charles McIntyre
• Journal: Experimental neurology (Exp Neurol) Vol. 231 Issue 2 Pg. 207-13 (Oct 2011) ISSN: 1090-2430 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21736878 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Aged
• Deep Brain Stimulation
• Electrodes, Implanted
• Humans
• Hypokinesia (physiopathology, therapy)
• Middle Aged
• Parkinson Disease (physiopathology, therapy)
• Subthalamic Nucleus (physiopathology)