Title:Deep Brain Stimulation for Stroke: Continuous Stimulation of the Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus has no Impact on Skilled Walking in Rats After Photothrombotic Stroke
Volume: 17
Issue: 5
Author(s): Arne Bohr, Michael K. Schuhmann, Lena Papp, Jens Volkmann and Felix Fluri*
Affiliation:
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg,Germany
Keywords:
Deep brain stimulation, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, mesencephalic locomotor region, photothrombotic
stroke, gait restoration, Beam-Walking-Test, Ladder-Rung-Walking-Test.
Abstract:
Background: Gait impairment after stroke is considered as a loss of cerebral function
but is also the result of dysfunctional cerebral signals travelling to the spinal motor centres. A therapeutic
option to restore disturbed cerebral network activity is deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Methods: A promising target for neuromodulation might be the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus
(PPTg), which contributes to the initiation and control of gait. To test this hypothesis, we
trained eighteen rats to cross a horizontal ladder and a wooden beam before inflicting a photothrombosis
in the right sensorimotor cortex and implanting a stimulating electrode in the ipsilateral
PPTg.
Results: Continuous high-frequency DBS (130 Hz; amplitude 55 ± 5 μA) of rats for 10 days yielded
no significant improvement of skilled walking when examined with the ladder rung walking test
and beam walking test compared to sham-stimulation.
Conclusion: In contrast to DBS of the cuneiform nucleus, PPTg-stimulation improves neither control
of gait nor balance after stroke.
