Generators of the frequency-following response in the subthalamic nucleus: Implications for non-invasive deep brain stimulation

作者：Mansoureh Fahimi Hnazaee, Haifeng Zhao, Shenglin Hao, Jonas Huber, Aline Moorkens, Christian Lambert, Shikun Zhan, Dianyou Li, Bomin Sun, Vladimir Litvak, Chunyan Cao · 发表于：Brain stimulation · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.brs.2024.07.005 · 被引用次数：2 · 研究领域：Neurological disorders and treatments、Functional Brain Connectivity Studies、Neural dynamics and brain function

Implications for non-invasive deep brain stimulationDear Editor, Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an invasive treatment for several brain disorders.Commonly targeted for movement disorders is the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a key input structure of the basal ganglia.Non-invasive DBS methods are also an important avenue for clinical research, as they are more readily embraced and applied earlier in the disease's progression.We report a finding which holds promise as a novel method for non-invasive STN stimulation.We recorded from STN-DBS electrodes in 4 patients during an auditory steady-state task.This task, the frequency-following response (FFR), is a popular tool for studying hearing.FFRs are particularly suitable for studying the auditory brainstem as they reflect the ongoing dynamics of a speech or nonspeech sound.The inferior colliculus (IC) functions as the main site of auditory integration in the midbrain, with studies identifying it as the brainstem generator of auditory responses, using source localization in MEG/EEG [1], lesion studies, and invasive neurophysiology in animal models [2].The hierarchically organised structures on the auditory pathway act as a low-pass filter, such that above a certain limit (considered ~200Hz), cortical structures cannot phase-lock to the sound whereas the midbrain can.Recently an absence of cortical contribution to the FFR was shown at 333Hz [1], proposing a purely IC origin.However, what is unknown is whether the basal ganglia, subcor...