Oscillations in subthalamic nucleus measured by multi electrode arrays

Medicon 3.doc Oscillations in subthalamic nucleus measured by multi electrode arrays J. Stegenga, T. Heida 1 MIRA institute, dept EEMCS, BSS-group, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands Abstract— The subthalamic nucleus (STN) of the basal The subthalamic nucleus (STN) of the basal ganglia, is involved in the generation of Parkinsonian symptoms and forms one of the main targets for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Effective frequencies of DBS are around 130 Hz. The effect of such stimuli in the STN is largely unknown but has been hypothesized to result in neuronal block, interrupting the pathophysiological oscillatory behavior which is observed in the Parkinsionian basal ganglia. Modelling studies suggest that synchronized oscillation at tremor (4-8 Hz) or beta (14-30 Hz) frequencies may occur. To study synchronicity of the STN in detail, we record actionpotential activity from rat brain slices using multi electrode arrays (MEAs). These arrays consist of 60 recording sites and thus allow the study of spatio-temporal activity patterns. Here we show the characteristics of spike trains which we recorded in the STN. Keywords— Parkinson’s disease, multi electrode arrays, brain slices, oscillatory activity