As the motor thalamus is the most popular DBS target for ET, and it is known that the thalamic nucleus plays a key role in relaying information about the external environment to the cerebral cortex, it is important to investigate mechanisms of thalamic DBS in the context of the cerebello-thalamo-cortical neuronal network.
OBJECTIVEPosterior subthalamic area (PSA) deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the zona incerta (ZI) is an emerging treatment for tremor syndromes, including Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET).
Here, we tested this theory by investigating modulation of spike rates and patterns in non-human primate motor thalamus while stimulating the cerebellar-receiving area of motor thalamus, the primary DBS target for treating Essential Tremor.
We recruited 8 patients with essential tremor in a stable postoperative condition (>3 months after electrode implantation of deep brain stimulation [DBS] electrodes) with segmented contacts implanted in the VIM.
To evaluate whether unilateral DBS targeting the caudal zona incerta (cZi) may be sufficient to alleviate voice tremor in patients with essential tremor, or whether bilateral stimulation is needed.
Finally, we demonstrate the value of such a conversion using the DBS target for essential tremor as an example, relating the site of the active DBS contact to different MNI atlases as well as anatomical and functional connectomes in MNI space.
Literature searches of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy, DBS, and stereotactic radiosurgery for essential tremor were performed.