Discover the groundbreaking insights into how deep brain stimulation is revolutionizing our understanding and treatment of dysfunctional circuits in the frontal cortex.
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Mapping dysfunctional circuits in the frontal cortex using deep brain stimulation.
Hollunder et al., Nat Neurosci 2024
<!– DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01570-1 //–>
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-024-01570-1
This study delves into the role of frontal circuits in motor, cognitive, and affective functions and their link to various brain disorders. By examining 534 deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes used in treating four different brain disorders, researchers mapped how specific frontal cortex connections contribute to therapeutic outcomes. The analysis revealed a topographical arrangement of dysfunctional circuits extending from the occipital to the frontal regions, each associated with a different disorder: sensorimotor cortices in dystonia, primary motor cortex in Tourette’s syndrome, supplementary motor area in Parkinson’s disease, and ventromedial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices in obsessive-compulsive disorder. This study underscores the potential of integrating DBS with brain connectomics to uncover the structural-functional relationships in the human brain, offering new insights into the frontal circuits’ roles in brain disorders. This approach provides a novel method for understanding and potentially treating various neurological and psychiatric conditions.