Objective: This study was conducted in order to determine whether GPi stimulation has immediate clinical effect in patients with dystonia who underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) procedure.
Background: Despite advanced literature on immediate and long term clinical effects of thalamic DBS, little is known on immediate effects of GPi stimulation in the population of movement disorders, especially within the realm of pediatrics with dystonia. In this study, immediate GPi stimulation effects were assessed in the inpatient Neuromodulation Unit (NMU). This study encompasses results from three patients all with secondary dystonia diagnoses of varying etiologies.
Method: GPi-DBS effectiveness was determined by assessing patient symptomatology both during off and within one minute of the start of GPi stimulation. Videos of three patients were taken performing reaching tasks during both on and off stimulation. These videos were double blinded for clinical scoring by three different scorers. An upper extremities subscale was created using the BFMDS (Brooke Fahn Marsden Dystonia Scale). Scores were averaged to determine whether or not effectiveness was seen within 1 min of Gpi stimulation being turned on.
Results: Average scores indicated a significant effect from no stimulation to one min post Gpi stimulation. Average scores for upper extremity subjects 1 to 3 were 13.67, 11.67, 7 for pre stimulation, and 16, 11, 12.67 one minute after the stimulation started. These results indicate an absolute percent change of 17.04%, 5.74%, 81% in the score from pre- to post stimulation, respectively.
Conclusion: With results from this study, DBS programming of GPi can show effects within a short period. These results help with the target selection of permanent placement using Stereotactic Awake Basal Ganglia Electrophysiological Recording and Stimulation (SABERS) surgical procedure. This is important to consider for the future of DBS programming, especially within pediatric populations.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
A. Brucker, A. Zakharova, S. Seyyed Mousavi, A. Salisbury, J. Olaya, M. Liker, T. Sanger. GPi Stimulation shows Immediate Effects in Motor Improvement within Pediatric Patients with Movement Disorders [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2025; 40 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/gpi-stimulation-shows-immediate-effects-in-motor-improvement-within-pediatric-patients-with-movement-disorders/. Accessed October 5, 2025.« Back to 2025 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/gpi-stimulation-shows-immediate-effects-in-motor-improvement-within-pediatric-patients-with-movement-disorders/