TY  - JOUR
A1  - Krämer, Stefanie D.
A1  - Schuhmann, Michael K.
A1  - Volkmann, Jens
A1  - Fluri, Felix
T1  - Deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus can improve skilled Forelimb movements and retune dynamics of striatal networks in a rat stroke model
JF  - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
N2  - Recovery of upper limb (UL) impairment after stroke is limited in stroke survivors. Since stroke can be considered as a network disorder, neuromodulation may be an approach to improve UL motor dysfunction. Here, we evaluated the effect of high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in rats on forelimb grasping using the single-pellet reaching (SPR) test after stroke and determined costimulated brain regions during STN-HFS using 2-[\(^{18}\)F]Fluoro-2-deoxyglucose-([\(^{18}\)F]FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET). After a 4-week training of SPR, photothrombotic stroke was induced in the sensorimotor cortex of the dominant hemisphere. Thereafter, an electrode was implanted in the STN ipsilateral to the infarction, followed by a continuous STN-HFS or sham stimulation for 7 days. On postinterventional day 2 and 7, an SPR test was performed during STN-HFS. Success rate of grasping was compared between these two time points. [\(^{18}\)F]FDG-PET was conducted on day 2 and 3 after stroke, without and with STN-HFS, respectively. STN-HFS resulted in a significant improvement of SPR compared to sham stimulation. During STN-HFS, a significantly higher [\(^{18}\)F]FDG-uptake was observed in the corticosubthalamic/pallidosubthalamic circuit, particularly ipsilateral to the stimulated side. Additionally, STN-HFS led to an increased glucose metabolism within the brainstem. These data demonstrate that STN-HFS supports rehabilitation of skilled forelimb movements, probably by retuning dysfunctional motor centers within the cerebral network.
KW  - photothrombosis
KW  - experimental stroke
KW  - subthalamic nucleus
KW  - invasive electric stimulation
KW  - skilled forelimb movements
KW  - neuronal network
KW  - [18F]FDG positron emission tomography
Y1  - 2022
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-312828
VL  - 23
IS  - 24
ER  -