Objective: The study aims to quantify motor improvement after chronic subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) hemiparkinson rat model using a commercially available gait analysis system. In addition, different gait parameters will be correlated with histological data from neuronal activation in the motor cortex to provide insight into STN-DBS’s potential mode of action.

Background: DBS, commonly applied in the STN, is a successful, however invasive, therapeutic option, particularly in advanced Parkinson’s disease. Even after several decades, the precise mechanisms underlying DBS remain unclear. Therefore, there is an urgent need for further research, in which animal models might contribute significantly to understanding DBS modes of action. However, quantifying DBS-related symptom improvements reliably in animal models is often difficult.

Method: The influence of STN-DBS on motor symptoms was investigated in an established 6-OHDA hemiparkinson rat model, in which DBS electrodes were implanted unilaterally in the STN four weeks after initial 6-OHDA lesion. Long-term stimulation lasted six weeks using a novel, fully implantable stimulation device described in previous studies. Motor performance was analyzed using a commercially available gait analysis system at two pre- and postoperative time points. Various parameters, such as stride length, step width, velocity, stance, and swing time, were used to assess motor performance. To compare gait analysis results with histological studies, immunofluorescence staining was performed to quantify neuronal activation in the motor cortex.

Results: In our preliminary analysis, we found significant alterations in different gait parameters when comparing healthy versus PD rats. In addition, our preliminary findings indicate a trend towards gait improvement after long-term STN-DBS in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats.

Conclusion: Gait analysis was successfully established to quantify motor symptoms in a 6-OHDA hemiparkinson rat model. Data from the gait analysis system can be used together with histological examinations to better understand the underlying mechanisms of DBS.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/gait-analysis-in-the-6-hydroxydopamine-hemiparkinson-rat-model-with-deep-brain-stimulation-in-the-subthalamic-nucleus/