4.6 Article

Persistent synaptic inhibition of the subthalamic nucleus by high frequency stimulation

Journal

BRAIN STIMULATION
Volume 15, Issue 5, Pages 1223-1232

Publisher

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.08.020

Keywords

Deep brain stimulation; Parkinson's disease; Synaptic dynamics; Synaptic depression; Subthalamic nucleus; Substantia nigra pars reticulata

Funding

  1. Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC)
  2. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, GermanResearch Foundation) [RGPIN-2022-05181]
  3. Berlin Institute of Health [424778381-TRR 295]
  4. German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
  5. Walter and Maria Schroeder Foundation

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This study aims to explore the local synaptic dynamics in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the neighboring substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) during external stimulation. The results show that inhibitory input in the STN persists during high frequency stimulation, while it does not occur in the SNr. This indicates a local synaptic mechanism in the STN during high frequency stimulation, which is associated with the regulation of neuronal firing.
Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) provides symptomatic relief in a growing number of neurological indications, but local synaptic dynamics in response to electrical stimulation that may relate to its mechanism of action have not been fully characterized. Objective: The objectives of this study were to (1) study local synaptic dynamics during high frequency extracellular stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN), and (2) compare STN synaptic dynamics with those of the neighboring substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr).Methods: Two microelectrodes were advanced into the STN and SNr of patients undergoing DBS surgery for Parkinson's disease (PD). Neuronal firing and evoked field potentials (fEPs) were recorded with one microelectrode during stimulation from an adjacent microelectrode. Results: Inhibitory fEPs could be discerned within the STN and their amplitudes predicted bidirectional effects on neuronal firing (p = .013). There were no differences between STN and SNr inhibitory fEP dynamics at low stimulation frequencies (p > .999). However, inhibitory neuronal responses were sustained over time in STN during high frequency stimulation but not in SNr (p < .001) where depression of inhibitory input was coupled with a return of neuronal firing (p = .003).Interpretation: Persistent inhibitory input to the STN suggests a local synaptic mechanism for the suppression of subthalamic firing during high frequency stimulation. Moreover, differences in the resiliency versus vulnerability of inhibitory inputs to the STN and SNr suggest a projection source- and frequencyspecificity for this mechanism. The feasibility of targeting electrophysiologically-identified neural structures may provide insight into how DBS achieves frequency-specific modulation of neuronal projections.(c) 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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