Postmortem diffusion MRI of the human brainstem and thalamus for deep brain stimulator electrode localization.

ABSTRACT: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established surgical therapy for medically refractory tremor disorders including essential tremor (ET) and is currently under investigation for use in a variety of other neurologic and psychiatric disorders. There is growing evidence that the anti-tremor effects of DBS for ET are directly related to modulation of the dentatorubrothalamic tract (DRT), a white matter pathway that connects the cerebellum, red nucleus, and ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus. Emerging white matter targets for DBS, like the DRT, will require improved three-dimensional (3D) reference maps of deep brain anatomy and structural connectivity for accurate electrode targeting. High-resolution diffusion MRI of postmortem brain specimens can provide detailed volumetric images

SUBMITTER: Calabrese E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4652933 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature