# Pathophysiology-based approaches to deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease

> **NIH NIH P50** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2020 · $365,394

## Abstract

ABSTRACT 
The overall goal of project 1 of the University of Minnesota (UMN) Udall Center is to characterize the
pathophysiological basis underlying the development of parkinsonian motor signs and use this information to
refine current and develop alternative deep brain stimulation (DBS) strategies for the treatment of Parkinson’s
disease (PD). Parkinson’s disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disease, yet we understand little about
the pathophysiological changes that underlie the abnormal movements associated with this disorder. Although
deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been demonstrated to reduce motor signs and improve the quality of life for
patients with PD, outcomes vary significantly among patients and for individual motor signs within patients.
This project will examine the relationship between changes in synchronized neural activity and motor behavior
directly in patients by leveraging opportunities afforded by intra-operative, microelectrode mapping of the
internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi) and the subthalamic nucleus (STN) during DBS surgical
procedures as well as post-operatively in patients with temporarily externalized DBS leads and using the fully-
implanted Medtronic Activa© RC+S “Brain Radio” system. The specific aims of this project are to: (1) identify
the changes in oscillatory brain activity that are associated with abnormal movements through intraoperative
recordings of neuronal (single and paired) and LFP activity during the performance of reaching and repetitive
movement tasks; (2) further characterize the changes in that oscillatory activity in response to pharmacological
and DBS treatment that reduces motor signs; (3) evaluate the potential role of these oscillatory changes as
pathophysiological biomarkers for use in adaptive, closed-loop DBS systems; and (4) evaluate the acute and
carry-over effects of coordinated reset (CR) DBS of the STN on both motor signs and oscillatory activity using
the Activa© RC+S implant. The RC+S implant allows for subcortical local field potential (LFP) recordings and
novel stimulation paradigms to be administered post-operatively, in the fully implanted patient, thus providing a
unique opportunity to postoperatively evaluate the potential role of synchronized oscillatory activity in specific
frequency spectrums as therapeutic biomarkers in next-generation DBS systems. The simultaneous collection
of neuronal and LFP data during motor behavior intra-operatively is unique and will clarify the role of changes
in neural activity, including synchronized oscillatory activity within and across specific frequency spectrums
within the GPi, GPe and STN with abnormalities in motor performance. Overall this project will enhance our
understanding of the pathophysiological basis of PD motor signs, clarify the changes in oscillatory activity that
occur within the pallidum and STN during movement and how they change in response to interventions that
improve motor signs. This study will also ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9971612
- **Project number:** 5P50NS098573-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Jerrold L Vitek
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $365,394
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9971612

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9971612, Pathophysiology-based approaches to deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease (5P50NS098573-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9971612. Licensed CC0.

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