INTRODUCTION The subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra, and globus pallidus, three nuclei of the human basal ganglia, play an important role in motor, associative, and limbic processing. The network of the basal ganglia is generally characterized by a direct, indirect, and hyperdirect pathway. This study aims to investigate the mesoscopic nature of these connections between the subthalamic nucl...

BACKGROUND In many patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, treatment with levodopa is complicated by fluctuations between an "off" period, when the medication is not working and the motor symptoms of parkinsonism are present, and an "on" period, when the medication is causing improved mobility, often accompanied by debilitating dyskinesias. In animal models of Parkinson's disease, there i...

The brainstem pedunculopontine nucleus has a likely, although unclear, role in gait control, and is a potential deep brain stimulation target for treating resistant gait disorders. These disorders are a major therapeutic challenge for the ageing population, especially in Parkinson’s disease where gait and balance disorders can become resistant to both dopaminergic medication and subthalamic nuc...

Deep brain stimulation is associated with delayed improvement of parkinsonian symptoms, such as hypokinesia with subthalamic nucleus stimulation, or dystonia with globus pallidus internus stimulation. The latency observed is better explained by molecular alterations than immediate electrophysiological processes, and clinical improvement may involve adaptive gene expression. Here, we have studie...

Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com LC: Locus Coeruleus; LHA: Lateral Hypothalamic Area; MLR: Midbrain Locomotor Region; NAc: Nucleus Accumbens; NRGc: Nucleus Reticularis Gigantocellularis; NRMc: Nucleus Reticularis Magnocellularis; ORX: Orexin; PD: Parkinson’s Disease; PM: Premotor Area; PMRF: Pontomedullary Reticular Formation; PPN: Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus; PRF: Pontine R...

BACKGROUND Increased neuronal activity in the subthalamic nucleus and the pars interna of the globus pallidus is thought to account for motor dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease. Although creating lesions in these structures improves motor function in monkeys with induced parkinsonism and patients with Parkinson's disease, such lesions are associated with neurologic deficits, parti...

Citation: Kocabicak E, Alptekin O, Ackermans L, Kubben P, Kuijf M, Kurt E, Esselink R and Temel Y (2015) Is there still need for microelectrode recording now the subthalamic nucleus can be well visualized with high field and ultrahigh MR imaging? Front. Integr. Neurosci. 9:46. doi: 10.3389/fnint.2015.00046 Is there still need for microelectrode recording now the subthalamic nucleus can be well ...