Functional recovery in a primate model of Parkinson's disease following motor cortex stimulation

Neuron. 2004 Dec 2;44(5):769-78. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2004.11.023.

Abstract

A concept in Parkinson's disease postulates that motor cortex may pattern abnormal rhythmic activities in the basal ganglia, underlying the genesis of observed motor symptoms. We conducted a preclinical study of electrical interference in the primary motor cortex using a chronic MPTP primate model in which dopamine depletion was progressive and regularly documented using 18F-DOPA positron tomography. High-frequency motor cortex stimulation significantly reduced akinesia and bradykinesia. This behavioral benefit was associated with an increased metabolic activity in the supplementary motor area as assessed with 18-F-deoxyglucose PET, a normalization of mean firing rate in the internal globus pallidus (GPi) and the subthalamic nucleus (STN), and a reduction of synchronized oscillatory neuronal activities in these two structures. Motor cortex stimulation is a simple and safe procedure to modulate subthalamo-pallido-cortical loop and alleviate parkinsonian symptoms without requiring deep brain stereotactic surgery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chronic Disease
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Electrophysiology
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • MPTP Poisoning / complications
  • MPTP Poisoning / diagnostic imaging
  • MPTP Poisoning / physiopathology*
  • Motor Cortex / diagnostic imaging
  • Motor Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Movement Disorders / etiology
  • Movement Disorders / physiopathology
  • Papio
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Recovery of Function

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18