Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of subthalamic beta bursts for dynamic control of precise drawing movements.

Background: The performance of precise and prolonged movements that require dynamic adjustments during the execution, for example drawing, is commonly impaired in people with Parkinson’s disease [1]. Yet little is known about the neural processes governing such movements. Increasing evidence suggests a considerable role of beta bursts for both motor control and motor impairment [2,3]. However, the implications of bursts occurring during precise and prolonged movements like drawing remain unclear.

Method: Leveraging the opportunity to access subthalamic nucleus activity in vivo in humans undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery, we combined invasive electrophysiological recordings and electrical stimulation to investigate the role of subthalamic beta burst activities for spiral drawing movements in 19 people with Parkinson’s disease.

Results: STN beta bursts, as defined during the resting state, were also present during drawing. However, burst amplitude and duration were reduced (p < 0.001). The occurrence of bursts was accompanied by adjustments of drawing velocity. The burst amplitude was associated with a reduced rate of velocity increases during template-guided (p = 0.027) but not during free drawing movements. Applying electrical high frequency stimulation reduced burst amplitude both before and during task execution (p < 0.001). Burst duration was not affected.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that beta bursts occurring during task execution could play a pertinent role in the dynamic control of complex movements that involve a continuous integration of feedback. Deep brain stimulation modulates not only bursts that occur during rest but also during task execution, which could mediate stimulation-related increases in movement speed in people with Parkinson’s disease.

References: [1] Bange, M., Gonzalez-Escamilla, G., Marquardt, T., et al. (2022). Deficient Interhemispheric Connectivity Underlies Movement Irregularities in Parkinson’s Disease. Journal of Parkinson’s disease, 12(1), 381-395. doi:10.3233/jpd-212840

[2] Tinkhauser G, Pogosyan A, Tan H, Herz DM, Kühn AA, Brown P. Beta burst dynamics in Parkinson’s disease OFF and ON dopaminergic medication. Brain. 2017 Nov 1;140(11):2968-2981. doi: 10.1093/brain/awx252. PMID: 29053865; PMCID: PMC5667742.

[3] Wessel JR. β-Bursts Reveal the Trial-to-Trial Dynamics of Movement Initiation and Cancellation. J Neurosci. 2020 Jan 8;40(2):411-423. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1887-19.2019. Epub 2019 Nov 20. PMID: 31748375; PMCID: PMC6948942.

« Back to 2023 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/deep-brain-stimulation-modulates-subthalamic-beta-bursts-related-to-movement-velocity-adjustments-in-parkinsons-disease/