Journal article
A human brain network linked to restoration of consciousness after deep brain stimulation
Nature communications, Vol.16(1), 6721
07/21/2025
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61988-4
PMCID: PMC12279989
PMID: 40691170
Abstract
Disorders of consciousness are characterized by severe impairments in arousal and awareness. Deep brain stimulation is a potential treatment, but outcomes vary-possibly due to differences in patient characteristics, electrode placement, or the specific brain network engaged. We describe 40 patients with disorders of consciousness undergoing deep brain stimulation targeting the thalamic centromedian-parafascicular complex. Improvements in consciousness are associated with better-preserved gray matter, particularly in the striatum. Electric field modeling reveals that stimulation is most effective when it extends below the centromedian nucleus, engaging the inferior parafascicular nucleus and the adjacent ventral tegmental tract-a pathway that connects the brainstem and hypothalamus and runs along the midbrain-thalamus border. External validation analyzed show that effective stimulation engages a brain network overlapping with disrupted patterns of brain activity observed in two independent cohorts with impaired consciousness: one with arousal-impairing stroke lesions and the other with awareness-impairing seizures. Together, these findings advance the field by informing patient selection, refining stimulation targets, and identifying a brain network linked to recovery that may have broader therapeutic relevance across consciousness-impairing conditions.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A human brain network linked to restoration of consciousness after deep brain stimulation
- Creators
- Aaron E L Warren - Harvard UniversityMarina Raguž - University Hospital DubravaHelen Friedrich - Circuit Therapeutics (United States)Frederic L W V J Schaper - Brigham and Women's HospitalJordy Tasserie - Brigham and Women's HospitalSamuel B Snider - Brigham and Women's HospitalJian Li - Massachusetts General HospitalMelissa M J Chua - Brigham and Women's HospitalKonstantin Butenko - Brigham and Women's HospitalMaximilian U Friedrich - Circuit Therapeutics (United States)Rohan Jha - Mass General BrighamJuan E Iglesias - Massachusetts General HospitalPatrick W Carney - Monash UniversityDavid Fischer - University of PennsylvaniaMichael D Fox - Circuit Therapeutics (United States)Aaron D Boes - University of IowaBrian L Edlow - Massachusetts General HospitalAndreas Horn - Circuit Therapeutics (United States)Darko Chudy - University Hospital DubravaJohn D Rolston - Harvard University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Nature communications, Vol.16(1), 6721
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41467-025-61988-4
- PMID
- 40691170
- PMCID
- PMC12279989
- NLM abbreviation
- Nat Commun
- ISSN
- 2041-1723
- eISSN
- 2041-1723
- Publisher
- NATURE PORTFOLIO; BERLIN
- Grant note
- R01 MH113929 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 NS138257 / NINDS NIH HHS RF1 MH123195 / NIMH NIH HHS DP2 HD101400 / NICHD NIH HHS R21 NS123813 / NINDS NIH HHS UH3 NS109557 / NINDS NIH HHS UM1 NS132358 / NINDS NIH HHS UM1 MH130981 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 NS127892 / NINDS NIH HHS RF1 AG080371 / NIA NIH HHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/21/2025
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Neurology; Psychiatry; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neurology (Pediatrics)
- Record Identifier
- 9984865437602771
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