Modulation of motor cortex neuronal activity and motor behavior during subthalamic nucleus stimulation in the normal primate

Luke A Johnson; Weidong Xu; Kenneth B Baker; Jianyu Zhang; Jerrold L Vitek

doi:10.1152/jn.00997.2014

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Modulation of motor cortex neuronal activity and motor behavior during subthalamic nucleus stimulation in the normal primate

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Modulation of motor cortex neuronal activity and motor behavior during subthalamic nucleus stimulation in the normal primate

Luke A Johnson, Weidong Xu, Kenneth B Baker, Jianyu Zhang and Jerrold L Vitek

Journal of neurophysiology, Vol.113(7), pp.2549-2554

04/01/2015

DOI: 10.1152/jn.00997.2014

PMCID: PMC4416594

PMID: 25673744

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Abstract

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a well-established surgical therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). An emerging hypothesis is that the therapeutic benefit of DBS is derived from direct modulation of primary motor cortex (M1), yet little is known about the influence of STN DBS on individual neurons in M1. We investigated the effect of STN DBS, delivered at discrete interval intensities (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%) of corticospinal tract threshold (CSTT), on motor performance and M1 neuronal activity in a naive nonhuman primate. Motor performance during a food reach and retrieval task improved during low-intensity stimulation (20% CSTT) but worsened as intensity approached the threshold for activation of corticospinal fibers (80% and 100% CSTT). To assess cortical effects of STN DBS, spontaneous, extracellular neuronal activity was collected from M1 neurons before, during, and after DBS at the same CSTT stimulus intensities. STN DBS significantly modulated the firing of a majority of M1 neurons; however, the direction of effect varied with stimulus intensity such that, at 20% CSTT, most neurons were suppressed, whereas at the highest stimulus intensities the majority of neurons were activated. At a population level, firing rates increased as stimulus intensity increased. These results show that STN DBS influences both motor performance and M1 neuronal activity systematically according to stimulus intensity. In addition, the unanticipated reduction in reach times suggests that STN DBS, at stimulus intensities lower than typically used for treatment of PD motor signs, can enhance normal motor performance.

Pyramidal Tracts - physiopathology

Animals

Subthalamic Nucleus - physiopathology

Deep Brain Stimulation

Neurons - physiology

Female

Motor Cortex - physiopathology

Macaca mulatta

Motor Activity

Details

Title: Subtitle: Modulation of motor cortex neuronal activity and motor behavior during subthalamic nucleus stimulation in the normal primate
Creators: Luke A Johnson - Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
Weidong Xu - Department of Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio
Kenneth B Baker - Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
Jianyu Zhang - Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
Jerrold L Vitek - Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and vitek004@umn.edu
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of neurophysiology, Vol.113(7), pp.2549-2554
DOI: 10.1152/jn.00997.2014
PMID: 25673744
PMCID: PMC4416594
NLM abbreviation: J Neurophysiol
ISSN: 1522-1598
eISSN: 1522-1598
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 NS037019 / NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS077657 / NINDS NIH HHS NS-037019 / NINDS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 04/01/2015
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Anesthesia
Record Identifier: 9984006368502771

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