AUTHOR=Chiken Satomi , Nambu Atsushi 

TITLE=Disrupting neuronal transmission: mechanism of DBS?

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2014

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/systems-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2014.00033

DOI=10.3389/fnsys.2014.00033

ISSN=1662-5137

ABSTRACT=<p>Applying high-frequency stimulation (HFS) to deep brain structure, known as deep brain stimulation (DBS), has now been recognized an effective therapeutic option for a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders. DBS targeting the basal ganglia thalamo-cortical loop, especially the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi), subthalamic nucleus (STN) and thalamus, has been widely employed as a successful surgical therapy for movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and tremor. However, the neurophysiological mechanism underling the action of DBS remains unclear and is still under debate: does DBS inhibit or excite local neuronal elements? In this review, we will examine this question and propose the alternative interpretation: DBS dissociates inputs and outputs, resulting in disruption of abnormal signal transmission.</p>