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Chapter 15 - Neuronal Activity in the Basal Ganglia and Thalamus in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

from Section 2: - Hypokinetic Movement Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2025

By
Ping Zhuang ,
Mark Hallett ,
Yuqing Zhang ,
Jianyu Li ,
Yongsheng Hu  and
Yongjie Li
Edited by
Erik Ch. Wolters  and
Christian R. Baumann
Erik Ch. Wolters
Affiliation:
Universität Zürich
Christian R. Baumann
Affiliation:
Universität Zürich
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Summary

The exact mechanisms underlying dysfunction of the basal ganglia that lead to Parkinson’s disease (PD) remain unclear. According to the standard model of PD, motor symptoms result from abnormal neuronal activity in dysfunctional basal ganglia, which can be recorded in human basal ganglia structures as functional neurosurgery for PD provides a unique opportunity to record from these regions. Microelectrode and local field potential recordings studies show alterations exist in basal ganglia nuclei as well as in the motor thalamus. Lesioning or stimulation of the basal ganglia results in significant improvement of PD symptoms, supporting the view that basal ganglia–thalamocortical circuits abnormality is important in parkinsonism generation. Different patterns of oscillatory neuronal activity plus changes in firing rate are associated with different parkinsonian motor subtypes. We present recordings of basal ganglia activity obtained with microelectrode recordings in parkinsonian patients, providing pathophysiology insight.

Keywords

Parkinson’s diseaserest tremorakinesia/bradykinesiarigiditybasal gangliamotor thalamusoscillationfiring ratemicroelectrode recording
Type
Chapter
Information
International Compendium of Movement Disorders , pp. 181 - 193
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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