Somatotopic organization of STN and DBS implications in Parkinson ’s Disease - a case report of a woman “halved” by DBS stimulation

The anatomy and functional connections of basal ganglia have been extensively studied in humans and primates [1]. In particular, it is known that the subthalamus nucleus (STN) has neurons inserted in parallel and segregated circuits wiring connections among limbic, associative, and motor systems both in the cortex and the basal ganglia [2]. In the STN, neurons involved in motor control are placed in its dorsolateral region and present a somatotopic distribution, which is maintained in the afferences from the cortex and in the projections towards other structures of the basal ganglia [3].

Source: BRAIN STIMULATION: Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation - July 22, 2020 Category: Neurology Authors: D. Alimonti, R. Donati, C. Foresti, O. Manara, M. Sessa Source Type: research