Movement-Related Activity of Human Subthalamic Neurons during a Reach-to-Grasp Task

TY - JOUR

T1 - Movement-Related Activity of Human Subthalamic Neurons during a Reach-to-Grasp Task

AU - Pötter-Nerger, Monika

AU - Reese, Rene

AU - Steigerwald, Frank

AU - Heiden, Jan Arne

AU - Herzog, Jan

AU - Moll, Christian K E

AU - Hamel, Wolfgang

AU - Ramirez-Pasos, Uri

AU - Falk, Daniela

AU - Mehdorn, Maximilian

AU - Gerloff, Christian

AU - Deuschl, Günther

AU - Volkmann, Jens

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - The aim of the study was to record movement-related single unit activity (SUA) in the human subthalamic nucleus (STN) during a standardized motor task of the upper limb. We performed microrecordings from the motor region of the human STN and registered kinematic data in 12 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery (seven women, mean age 62.0 ± 4.7 years) while they intraoperatively performed visually cued reach-to-grasp movements using a grip device. SUA was analyzed offline in relation to different aspects of the movement (attention, start of the movement, movement velocity, button press) in terms of firing frequency, firing pattern, and oscillation. During the reach-to-grasp movement, 75/114 isolated subthalamic neurons exhibited movement-related activity changes. The largest proportion of single units showed modulation of firing frequency during several phases of the reach and grasp (polymodal neurons, 45/114), particularly an increase of firing rate during the reaching phase of the movement, which often correlated with movement velocity. The firing pattern (bursting, irregular, or tonic) remained unchanged during movement compared to rest. Oscillatory single unit firing activity (predominantly in the theta and beta frequency) decreased with movement onset, irrespective of oscillation frequency. This study shows for the first time specific, task-related, SUA changes during the reach-to-grasp movement in humans.

AB - The aim of the study was to record movement-related single unit activity (SUA) in the human subthalamic nucleus (STN) during a standardized motor task of the upper limb. We performed microrecordings from the motor region of the human STN and registered kinematic data in 12 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery (seven women, mean age 62.0 ± 4.7 years) while they intraoperatively performed visually cued reach-to-grasp movements using a grip device. SUA was analyzed offline in relation to different aspects of the movement (attention, start of the movement, movement velocity, button press) in terms of firing frequency, firing pattern, and oscillation. During the reach-to-grasp movement, 75/114 isolated subthalamic neurons exhibited movement-related activity changes. The largest proportion of single units showed modulation of firing frequency during several phases of the reach and grasp (polymodal neurons, 45/114), particularly an increase of firing rate during the reaching phase of the movement, which often correlated with movement velocity. The firing pattern (bursting, irregular, or tonic) remained unchanged during movement compared to rest. Oscillatory single unit firing activity (predominantly in the theta and beta frequency) decreased with movement onset, irrespective of oscillation frequency. This study shows for the first time specific, task-related, SUA changes during the reach-to-grasp movement in humans.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00436

DO - 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00436

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 28936169

VL - 11

SP - 436

JO - FRONT HUM NEUROSCI

JF - FRONT HUM NEUROSCI

SN - 1662-5161

ER -